Corbett Reaping What He Sows

Corbett Reaping What He Sows House Democrats: None of you should be surprised at today’s news that partisan Republican Attorney General Tom Corbett is having trouble getting evidence everyone knows existed to prosecute Republicans related to the Bonusgate investigation. (“Prosecutors say GOP balking in bonus probe” Post Gazette 12/4/08) St. Paul put it best in his letter to the Galatians when he wrote, “Make no mistake…a person will only reap what he sows.” For months, everyone could see that Corbett was sowing the seeds of future iniquity when he focused his investigation solely on the House Democratic Caucus. The hearing held yesterday is just further proof that Republicans are going to skate through Corbett’s investigation unharmed. Corbett is now supposedly perplexed that he can’t find the evidence he needs to bring charges against Republicans: “The subpoena for documents from the Republicans so far has failed to produce the sort of chain of communication that prosecutors believe will establish their case.” (Post Gazette 12/5/08) “One GOP source said investigators appeared to be exasperated because they had not unearthed evidence incriminating House Republicans, as they appear to have done with Democrats. "They are not finding a smoking gun," the source said.” (Inquirer 12/5/08) It doesn’t take a crystal ball to have predicted that this turn of events would happen. By only focusing for over a year on House Democrats while ignoring the other three caucuses, Corbett allowed the Republicans plenty of time to destroy evidence, steel their staff for questioning and prepare their defense strategy. Now, Corbett is reaping what he sowed nearly two years ago when he embarked upon his grossly partisan and one-sided investigation. Don’t think that Corbett is not culpable in this turn of events! In fact, it is plausible that this was the plan all along. To begin, Corbett showed his hand to the Republican caucuses from the moment he raided the House Democratic offices in August of 2007 (Post Gazette, 8/30/07), through nearly a year of media coverage regarding nearly

150 subpoenaed House Democratic staff (Associated Press 7/31/08) and finally a massive grand jury presentment indicting only House Democrats in July of 2008 (Multiple sources 7/10/08). Furthermore, Corbett dragged his feet before even beginning a cursoryinvestigation of the Republicans. He didn’t issue his first subpoena for documents from House Republicans until October of 2007 (Post Gazette 10/24/07) and didn’t interview or subpoena a House Republican staff person until August of 2008 (Post Gazette 8/7/08). Finally, in addition to tipping the Republicans off to how his investigation would unfold, Corbett gave the House Republicans plenty of time to destroy evidence. The House Republicans destroyed their hard drives and servers over the summer and fall of 2007. (Patriot News 8/3/08) Even more shocking is that the destruction of evidence by the Republicanswas conducted with Corbett’s full knowledge and permission. House Republican spokesperson Steve Miskin freely admits it: "The attorney general's investigators were consulted about the changeover of computers, Miskin said." (Tribune Review, 10/16/08) Corbett’s failure to find incriminating emails, documents and testimony from Republican staff should be of no surprise to anyone! This was inevitable! Did Corbett think the House Republicans would roll over and show their bellies like those morons Bill DeWeese and Bill Chadwick who guided you through the last two years? There are only two explanations for this recent and predictable turn of events. Corbett has been grossly incompetent in his investigation of the Republican caucuses. Or, Corbett has conveniently conducted an investigation that is incredibly accommodating to the Republican caucuses in its timing and scope. Don’t forget these are the same Republican caucuses that have contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to Corbett’s campaigns. Either way, it is unacceptable in its repercussions for the House Democratic caucus and the entire Pennsylvania Democratic Party. In less than two years, Corbett will be waging a Republican primary gubernatorial campaign based in no small part on his bringing Democrats to “justice.”

Corbett’s campaign message will color the 2010 re-elections for many of you because once again Bonusgate will be in the news and only House Democrats will have been indicted because conveniently Corbett “had not unearthed evidence incriminating House Republicans.” (Inquirer 12/5/08) By the way…when will Corbett ever investigate the Senate Republicans? Jubelirer, Brightbill, Crompton , Long and O’Berry? All of them either big Corbett campaign contributors or well-known political operatives Just like the House Republicans, they are all being given ample time to destroy evidence and prepare a defense. Just another crop of iniquity against Democrats for Corbett to sow.