Patriot News Editorial

Making a probe fair

Both parties covered in investigation of bonuses
Friday, October 26, 2007

Attorney General Tom Corbett's subpoenas of state House Re publican records should allay claims of
partisanship in a probe of bonuses paid to legislative staffers.
Corbett, a Republican, has taken political heat from Democrats since launching an investigation this
year into whether $3.6 million in taxpayer-funded bonus payments to hundreds of legislative staffers
through the 2005-06 General Assembly session were illegally tied to political work.
Both parties gave bonuses, but the House Democrats' total was far higher and subpoenas and witnesses
called before a statewide grand jury have focused on that caucus' records and officials.
State Democratic Chairman T.J. Rooney recently brought out the heavy artillery, calling Corbett's probe
"an Alberto Gonzales-like investigation," trying to compare him to the former U.S. attorney general
accused by Democrats of politicizing the U.S. Justice Department.
That rhetoric was way over the top, though we admit to being curious all along about Republican
bonuses, as well.
House Republican leaders have pledged their full cooperation. We urge Democrats to do so, too. One
place to start may be dropping a state Supreme Court appeal essentially claiming legislative protection
for the records. Judge Barry Feudale, who is supervising the grand jury that is sitting in Harrisburg,
dismissed any constitutional arguments in a 51-page opinion after privately reviewing the documents in
his chambers.
Even if the Democrats gain a favorable Supreme Court ruling, they will likely lose in the court of
public opinion, where people will wonder what they have to hide.
It's time to get to the bottom of this.