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Pocono News Section
Three More People Nabbed in Bonusgate Investigation
Three More People Nabbed in Bonusgate Investigation - Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 5:45PM EST
Reported by: Eric Deabill
Tuesday, Dec 15, 2009 @ 05:45pm EST
HARRISBURG -- At the state level, three more people are facing charges in the Bonusgate investigation. The state Attorney General says the suspects misused taxpayer money for campaign purposes.
Two of the people charged are well-known in Harrisburg and across the state. The first is Bill DeWeese. He's a current representative and the former Speaker of the House.
The second is the state Department of Revenue Secretary. He just resigned abruptly Tuesday morning.
The state's top cop pulled no punches when referencing the third round of Bonusgate charges.
Attorney General Tom Corbett said, “The evidence here is clear, they were using public resources for political purposes....That's illegal."
Former House Speaker Bill DeWeese, his aide Sharon Rodavich and state Department of Revenue Secretary Stephen Stetler were all charged with theft and conflict of interest.
Gene Stilp of Taxpayers & Ratepayers United, Inc. said, “I think this is very healthy for the people of Pennsylvania to cleaning up the legislature because it has to start someplace."
Taxpayer advocate Gene Stilp says 40 million dollars has either been mis-spent or used to prosecute the offenders. “The public is sick of it. In Luzerne County, the public is sick of it. Down here, across the state, people are sick of it and on top of it, this building gets nothing done," added Stilp.
At the State Capitol it was tough to find any politician who wanted to talk about the charges. Luzerne County Representative Eddie Day Pashinski declined, saying he had not yet reviewed the charges.
As for House Majority Leader Todd Eachus, his office said they would have no comment.
The big question that remains unanswered tonight, are there any more charges coming? “We never stop looking for information and it never stops coming," said Corbett.
If convicted the three people charged today face up to 40 years in prison. So far more than 20 people have been charged in the Bonusgate investigation.
Only one has gone to trial - Sean Ramaley of Beaver County. He was found not guilty last week. | |
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