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Gerlach fires first Bonusgate salvo at Corbett

And with that, Bonusgate is officially a campaign issue.

Congressman Jim Gerlach’s (R-6) campaign on Wednesday attacked state Attorrney General Tom Corbett over his corruption investigation and simultaneous, but undeclared, gubernatorial bid, saying that “Pennsylvanians deserve to know whether [Corbett] is more interested in pursuing justice or advancing his political career.”

In a statement from Gerlach himself, Corbett’s investigation was ridiculed as an increasing conflict of interest.

“The Attorney General’s continuing investigation of political corruption in the Legislature while, at the same time, seeking the political support of GOP legislators, party leaders and key contributors is a clear and obvious conflict of interest,” Gerlach said. “His failure to understand and acknowledge that conflict, and immediately eliminate it is very disturbing. I think Attorney General Corbett should immediately rectify this inherent conflict by either suspending his gubernatorial campaign or immediately resigning his position as Attorney General. Otherwise, most Pennsylvanians will view his current ‘having it both ways’ strategy as more of the same old, Harrisburg political culture that the people of this state desperately want reformed.”

As Corbett’s investigation entered its third year, it was always clear that the probe, which has charged a dozen Democrats but no Republicans, would become a political issue. But Gerlach’s attack was the first time a gubernatorial opponent of Corbett’s had seized on it directly. It came a day after a newspaper editorial made similar criticisms.

Officials with Corbett’s campaign could not immediately be reached Wednesday afternoon, but in a recent interview with pa2010.com, Corbett said accusations that his investigation is politically-motivated are misplaced and that critics don’t know all the facts.

“You have to wait until the entire investigation is done before you make an allegation like that,” Corbett said, “and I don’t believe anyone will be able to say that when we’re done.

“Would people have me not prosecute it because it’s political [in nature]?” he added. “Of course not. And I don’t hear people saying these [defendants] are all innocent. They’re just saying it’s political.”

•Also on pa2010.com: Corbett’s ‘Bonusgate’ investigation comes with political promise—and peril

August 19, 2009 at 2:05 pm

--Dan Hirschhorn

Tags: Jim Gerlach, Tom Corbett

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