Corbett Granted Immunity to 87 Republicans; $4 Million in Taxpayer Money Paid to Defend Republicans

[JPZenger]

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20121125_Ex-GOP_Aide_s_Corruption_Ordeal.html

From an article on the front page of today's Phila. Inquirer. The article is about unfairness to one accused aide, but the following parts of the article are more important.

"The prosecutors who spent years building a sweeping corruption case against former State House Speaker John M. Perzel and other Republicans used a potent tool - granting immunity to those who cooperated. In all, 87 GOP aides got such a deal....

"For K&L Gates, the legal payments received from representing aides and legislators were substantial. The firm was paid about $4 million in taxpayer funds to represent the GOP caucus, as well as Bowman and other aides individually....K&L Gates was at the hub. With its multiple clients, it collected about two-thirds of the $6 million paid to 18 law firms hired by Republicans in response to the probe."

The article was unclear whether all $6 million was tax money, or some figure between $4 and $6 million.

----

Remember that Corbett did not bother prosecuting many Republicans until after a couple years of investigating many Democrats. There was evidence that both sides had been doing exactly the same thing. The Democrats were mainly nailed based upon their emails. However, the Repubs were effectively given a couple years to clean up their records, and to even replace all of the hard drives on their computers, before Corbett's investigation really went into action against them.

[juajen]

1. If this is true, it is disgusting.

[2naSalit]

2. It is, though I'm not surprised.

[freshwest]

3. Insert Bill Maher quote here:

“If your party can run the nation for eight years, and then have a national convention and not invite Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Colin Powell, Karl Rove, or Tom DeLay, you’re not a political movement. You’re the witness protection program.”

[enough]

4. I don't see Corbett mentioned in that article. Thanks for making

the connection, JPZ.

[TimKeller]

5. Lets not forget Rep Tarah Toohill

Let's not forget about Rep. Tarah Toohill who has vehemently opposed any legislation granting equality to gay and lesbian Pennsylvanians. Then, when a video surfaced of her making out with another woman and a bong of weed (not that I personally care) she released a video denouncing her actions, not out of her own pocket but on the taxpayers dime.

Check my blog The Stubborn Mule

[link:http://unapologeticallyliberal.wordpress.com/|