Capitolwire: Bonusgate AG Corbett took over $1 million from groups,

donors close to GOP legislative leaders

By Peter L. DeCoursey
Bureau Chief
Capitolwire

HARRISBURG (Oct. 16) – Republican committees, officials and fund-raisers, close to the GOP legislative
leaders who gave out $1.2 million in staff bonuses, gave Attorney General Tom Corbett more than half of
the $3 million he used to win his 2004 election.

The appearance that those donations, and his need for a similar warchest for his re-election campaign
next year, led a potential Democratic opponent to ask Corbett to step aside and appoint a special counsel
for the "Bonusgate" probe.

On Tuesday, Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli led with a call for Attorney General
Tom Corbett to appoint a special prosecutor in the investigation of legislative staff bonuses.

That same day, both of Morganelli's major Democratic rivals to oppose Corbett next year agreed.

Morganelli said published reports indicated that Corbett was targeting House Democrats but not House or
Senate Republicans in his probe. The investigation includes delving into whether taxpayer-funded
bonuses were paid to staffers who did campaign work, which would violate the state ethics law.

Morganelli also noted that two Republican senators who awarded bonuses to staffers combined to
contribute $35,000 to Corbett in 2004.

The Democratic nominee for attorney general in 2004, Jim Eisenhower, who is considering another
campaign next year, said there are other contributions that should make Corbett appoint an independent
prosecutor.

Corbett's $3 million campaign in 2004 was fueled by $972,000 from Republican State Commitee,
according to state campaign finance records compiled by the state elections board. The GOP state
committee is closely tied to legislative GOP leaders, who have exercised great influence over the
committee in the last decade.

Eisenhower also noted Corbett received additional major contributions from the statewide GOP
committee's top fund-raiser, Republican National Committeeman Bob Asher, who has close relationships
with past and present GOP legislative leaders who awarded bonuses.

Asher and his family and PAC provided $213,000 to Corbett's 2004 campaign. Asher and his PAC
contributed $642,000 to Republican State Committee that year, an amount that was more than two-thirds
of the contributions the GOP state committee made to Corbett. In 2006, when Corbett and President
George W. Bush were not running, Asher and his PAC's state committee contributions dropped off
sharply, to about $90,000.

Other GOP committees, elected state lawmakers and PACs closely tied to legislative leaders contributed
more than $400,000 more to Corbett's campaign, providing about half the funding for the campaign.

Corbett’s press spokesmen, Nils Frederiksen and Kevin Harley, did not respond to three e-mails and two
calls requesting comment.
House Republican spokesman Steve Miskin defended Corbett, telling reporters he would respond to
Morganelli’s statement.

Miskin said that Morganelli’s charges “speak more about himself and his own morals and ethics than it
does about Tom Corbett.” Miskin cited public praise for Corbett’s fairness from Gov. Ed Rendell and from
state House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese, D-Greene, who approved many of the controversial House
Democratic $1.9 million in 2006 bonuses.

Miskin omitted that Rendell praised Corbett in the context of saying that he hoped press reports that
Corbett was targeting only Democrats were mistaken, and he hoped Corbett would be fair in this as he
has been in the past.

Miskin said that proved that “Gov. Rendell, Rep. DeWeese and we agree that Tom Corbett has done
nothing but prove his independent record as a prosecutor.”

Miskin said no one knows what Corbett is investigating or whom he has interviewed, although Miskin
acknowledged that he knows of no one who has been subpoenaed except House Democrats and
staffers.

“As a prosecutor, and someone who for years has dreamed of being attorney general, you would think Mr.
Morganelli would understand the rules of a grand jury and its secrecy," Miskin said.

Miskin also said Corbett’s prosecution of former Rep. Jeff Habay, R-Allegheny, proved Corbett did not
allow partisan considerations to sway his legal decisions.

While Morganelli raised the issue first, his two potential Democratic rivals to unseat Corbett agreed.

Former federal prosecutor Chris Casey, brother of U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr., D-Pa., wrote in an e-mail:
“Based upon what is on the public record, I agree that a special prosecutor is warranted in this case. As
we learned from Alberto Gonzales' tenure as U.S. Attorney General, it is important that the public has
confidence that politics plays no role in prosecutions. Prosecutors should avoid even the appearance of
impropriety.”

Eisenhower wrote that once Corbett began to investigate staff bonuses awarded by former five- and six-
figure contributors, "He [Corbett] should have recognized the issue.”

Morganelli wrote that Corbett had the power and duty to appoint a special prosecutor: “The appointment
of an independent, special prosecutor will guarantee objectivity and fairness to the investigation of
legislative bonuses and is the right thing to do. … Unfortunately, the handling of this matter to date by the
Attorney General of Pennsylvania raises serious questions and concerns that the investigation being
pursued is partisan and political.”

Morganelli cited a Feb. 11 story by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in which a Corbett spokesman “said that
the Attorney General was reviewing the staff bonus extravaganza 'produced by State House Democrats.'"

“Despite the fact that the initial evidence strongly suggested abuse by both Republican and Democratic
caucuses, the focus of the initial statements made by the Office of Attorney [General] squarely was upon
House Democrats.

“Despite the fact that top bonus recipients for the two (2) year period of 2005-2006 included, for example,
a top aide to Senator [Robert C.] Jubelirer who received $41,405.00; Press Secretary for Senator
Jubelirer - $36,278.00; Senate Parliamentarian and Chief Clerk each getting $35,126.00 in bonuses;
[Senate] GOP legal counsel - $32,801.00; an aid to former GOP [Senate] leader $33,427.00; legal
counsel to Mr. Jubelirer - $30,767.00 and press aide to Senator [David J. "Chip"] Brightbill - $22,480.00,
there appears to date to be no focus or concern on Senate Republicans.“

Records show that during the 2005-2006 session, House Democrats awarded $2.3 million of the $3.6
million legislators doled out to staff in bonuses, with Senate Democrats in last place, awarding $76,000 in
bonuses during that time period.

House Republicans awarded the second most bonuses over those two years, $918,000, and Senate
Republicans finished third, with about $362,000 in staff bonuses.

Morganelli wrote: “Despite the obvious evidence that if abuse occurred, it occurred across the board by all
of the legislative caucuses both Republican and Democrat, the tenor of the investigation being conducted
by the attorney general has the appearance of partisanship.”

House and Senate Republicans have said none of their members or staff were subpoenaed for the bonus
investigation, as have Senate Democrats. House Democratic staffers have been subpoenaed.

“There are some who now believe that this investigation has, in part, an objective to undermine the
Democrats' slim majority in the Pennsylvania House," Morganelli wrote. "I am not ready to impugn
improper motives to Mr. Corbett. But there does exist potential personal, financial and political conflicts of
interest for the attorney general to further pursue this investigation.

"Specifically, Attorney General Corbett will be up for re-election in 2008 seeking political and financial
support from many of the Republican caucus members as he has done in the past. His campaign
expense report for the previous campaign is replete with instances of money transferred from the
Republican House Caucus members who should also be the focus of this investigation.”

Morganelli noted that two of the defeated Senate Republican leaders who awarded the bonuses
Morganelli likened to those given out by House Democrats, Brightbill and Jubelirer, were major
contributors when Corbett won the attorney general’s office in 2004.

The campaign committee of Brightbill, the former Senate majority leader, gave Corbett’s campaign
$25,000 that year. Former Senate President Pro Tem Jubelirer’s campaign gave Corbett’s campaign
$10,000.

Morganelli and Eisenhower said that was just part of the GOP campaign waterfall Corbett used to get
elected in 2004 and will rely upon again in 2008.

Asher, his PAC, Republican State Committee and other GOP-tied PACs and donors closely tied to
legislative leaders gave Corbett more than half of the $3 million he raised for his 2004 election, campaign
records show.

For a story which discusses the 2004 primary election, the Asher-Corbett relationship, and how that
election created a feud that is affecting a major election this year, and may affect Corbett’s re-election
next year, CLICK HERE.

In addition to his donations to Corbett, Asher and his PAC are major donors to Republican legislative
candidates. In 2006, he and his PAC gave $285,000 to GOP legislative candidates and committees.
Nearly half that sum, $127,000, went to the House Republican Campaign Committee, then controlled by
House Speaker John Perzel, R-Philadelphia.
Asher also plays a key coordinating role for Republicans running for the state House and Senate in his
native Montgomery County. He helps fund their campaigns and offers strategic advice, staff and other
help.

In 2004, Asher and his PAC gave $198,000 to Republican legislative candidates, with $123,000 of those
funds going to Perzel or the House Republican Campaign Committee.

Asked about these donations and whether they present an appearance of a conflict of interest by Corbett
as he investigates, warranting the appointment of a special prosecutor, Miskin responded: “Mr. Corbett
has done nothing but prove his independence and his ability to be a prosecutor who allows the evidence
to lead him where it may.

“With the exception of aspirants to the attorney general’s office and the severely partisan [Democratic
State Committee chairman and former House Democrat] T.J, Rooney, no one has ever questioned the
integrity, ability or independence of Attorney General Tom Corbettt.”