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Gerlach, CasablancaPA blogger share common criticism of Corbett

Jim Gerlach stopped by the Capitol Tuesday and made a quasi-bold attempt to interject himself in the state budget impasse. Gerlach, the congressman who is giving up his seat in the 6th CD to run for governor, said state lawmakers should lose pay for every day a budget is not passed.

Gerlach is aiming for a Republican primary win over Attorney General Tom Corbett, who was rumored to be ready to officially announce his gubernatorial run, maybe as soon as Monday.

Gerlach, who doesn’t have the same statewide name recognition that Corbett does, said he is not trying to define himself against Corbett. However, Gerlach remains on message that Corbett has a conflict of interest problem, since Corbett continues to investigate “Bonusgate” by day, but then seeks campaign support and contributions by night from some of the same parties that might be involved in his probe of the state legislature.

“There are two solutions,” said Gerlach, who again asserted that Corbett either resign from his job as the state’s top law enforcement officer or suspend his campaign.

In an interview with The The Associated Press on Aug. 29, Corbett said politics aren’t playing part in his probe. However, Corbett’s most potent detractor got a shout-out from Corbett — a move one political insider called very strange tactics on the part of a front-runner candidate.

“We read blogs, we know what’s out there, we know people like Brett Cott are on the blogs all day making stuff up, you know,” Corbett said. “We can’t comment on those things. What’s out there could be wild speculation, could be accurate. We can’t comment on it.”

Cott, a former Democratic House aide, is among the 12 who have been charged, the AP noted.

His blog, CasablancaPA, is a daily grind against Corbett chocked full of insider dope on the dynamics of Bonusgate — albeit from a highly partisan Democratic position.

What Gerlach can only suggest in his criticism of Corbett, CasablancaPA takes Corbett to the woodshed, which is probably why the Attorney General felt he had to make the unusual move of naming Cott and his blog during his interview with the Associated Press. Cott declined to confirm his authorship of the blog or comment on the story, according The AP.

September 8, 2009 at 8:15 pm

--Laura Vecsey

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