House Democrats fight probe of bonus payments
By CHARLES THOMPSON / Of The Patriot-News, 09/19/07 10:19 PM EDTUPDATED: 09/19/07 10:49 PM EDTState House Democratic leaders are waging a legal battle against Attorney General TomCorbett’s probe of taxpayer-funded bonus payments to legislative staffers.In appeals filed before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, attorneys for the House Democrats areseeking to pre-empt subpoenas requiring several caucus employees to appear before a statewideinvestigating grand jury.The grand jury, which is meeting in Harrisburg, is probing the payment of $3.6 million in bonuses to legislative staffers during the 2005-06 session. Corbett has said that he is looking intowhether the bonuses were intended as compensation for staffers who worked on legislativecampaigns. Republicans and Democrats in both the House and Senate gave out bonuses, butHouse Democrats paid the most.Corbett’s agents raided the House Democrats’ Office of Legislative Research on Aug. 23 andseized several boxes after serving a search warrant, House officials have said.Attorneys have now filed separate motions with the grand jury’s supervising judge seeking areturn of "privileged documents seized in the execution of a search warrant" at the legislativeoffice.It was not clear Wednesday if the judge had ruled on that case. Attorneys for House Democratsdeclined comment."I’m not going to have any discussion whatsoever," said Robert Graci, outside counsel retained by the caucus.A spokesman for Corbett’s office declined comment.A Democratic caucus source, who asked not to be identified, confirmed the legal fights are under way as the caucus seeks to defend itself against accusations that some bonus payments wererewards for campaign work or donations in an election year. Democrats regained control of theHouse in last fall’s election.It is common for legislative staffers to take leave or personal time to work on campaigns. Itwould be illegal for their employers to pay them for that work with state funds.Corbett’s office has spent six months investigating payment of the bonuses.
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