Harrisburg Shake Ups and Nepotism Charges

I mentioned yesterday that two of Bill DeWeese's staffers had left and today more information is available about the goings on in the state Capitol.  Seven Democratic staffers have been let go due to the investigation by Bob Asher's Tom Corbett's office into the bonuses given to staffers for work that was mainly done for political campaigns.

It is illegal to use government funds or resources for political work. 

Hiring other legislators relatives, a long tradition known as nepotism, is also improper.  Another relevation today accuses DeWeese of hiring two relatives of former Rep. Frank LaGrotta and paid them 425,000 for no show jobs.  At least all of Traitor Tom Caltagirone's relatives show up for work.  We wish they wouldn't, but some of them do.  Nepotism remains alive and well in Pennsylvania.  From Congressman Paul Kanjorski to the article I wrote last week about Caltagirone sabotaging a sheriff's candidate who wouldn't agree to put yet another Caltagirone on the public payroll, this doesn't make anyone think either of these men are reformers.

My own State Representative David Kessler has hired Caltagirone's brother as a part time staffer.  Not only this but he allows John Caltagirone to insult his constituents in public with no reprimand or punishment.  Caltagirone gave Kessler a $500 contribution last year.  I wonder if Dave sold out that cheaply?

Comments

[DC93]

I used to intern for LaGrotta for about 8 weeks one spring semester in my final term in college as an undergrad.

On the surface, he seemed alright, but a bit squirrely with a Christian Coalition business card on his office desk, which made me go hmmm....

Back then he was on the House minority appropriations committee and I served out my time there after he had some surgery. I find it amazing though, that DeWeese approved the employment for staff, but alas the legal burden was on Frank to make sure they did work.

Of course, he was one of those who spent more time in the district office most weeks, and had more than a few occassions where he was supposedly in Harrisburg casting votes but yet very much back in the district. Of course, I suppose that has been common practice, and I wonder how much regular citizens are aware of that lovely practice of people tapping vote buttons for their colleagues. Yes, people of Pennsylvania, your state reps are capable of being cloned for purposes of voting on legislation and conducting other political matters. You ever wonder why some of your reps never debate anything much on the floor, because they ain't around all that often, but their button gets pushed.

I suppose that was supposed to be some big secret, but ya know, I'm real tired of the bullshit secrets that these power-tripping big-wigs think they need to keep from the public.

It is time to really flush out the pipe in '08, now that the first round produced at best superficial changes and only began the process of uncovering the rats.

[John Morgan]

That was called ghost voting and now is prohibited. We'll see.

In the past this is the sort of news I'd have passed on for the blog. Now that I'm "untethered" from the Party it's relevant and published.