send to a friend | print | comment
D.A. investigating Meehan’s petitions is also a contributor (Updated)
When GOP congressional hopeful Pat Meehan needed someone to investigate possible problems with his nominating petitions last week, he turned to Delaware County District Attorney Mike Green. With jurisdiction over local elections, Green is indeed the logical first place to go.
But Green is also a Meehan supporter.
He gave Meehan’s 7th District congressional campaign $1,000 last September, according to campaign finance data. It’s a situation that would seem to create a clear-cut conflict of interest that would call for Green to recuse himself—though Meehan doesn’t see it that way.
“As we have stated before, we found there were issues with four signatures on the petition of single circulator,” Meehan spokesman Pete Peterson said Wednesday, adding that it’s up to Green to decide whether or not to recuse himself.
“Mike Green, as District Attorney, has the appropriate authority to investigate such issues,” Peterson added.
The District Attorney’s office could not immediately be reached for comment late Wednesday afternoon. And an aide to Meehan’s likely opponent, state Representative Bryan Lentz (D-Delaware), said the campaign finance data says enough.
“I think that speaks for itself,” Lentz campaign manager Vincent Rongione said.
UPDATE: A spokesman for the District Attorney’s office says the petitions of which they were notified by Meehan are under review, but declines to comment on any potential conflict of interest.
March 17, 2010 at 6:12 pm
Leave a Reply
pa2012.com blogs
Red in a Sea of Blue
Purple in Pennsylvania
The Latest from @pa2012 news
More UpdatesStay connected with pa2012.com:
advertisement
advertisement
Sorry. No data so far.
advertisement
K. Martel
Mar 17th, 2010
Nothing at all wrong with this . The Delaware County D.A.’s office is where it should go .
Reality
Mar 17th, 2010
What?!?!? Nothing wrong with this? Come on….A contributor to someone’s campaign should NOT be allowed to investigate that person’s campaign.
I question why Meehan didn’t disclose this at the time. Sounds sketchy.
Dray
Mar 17th, 2010
Reality–
I think K. Martle is being ironic. Like, “OF COURSE, there’s nothing at all wrong.”
quadmom
Mar 17th, 2010
If Green recuses himself (as he should) who would be left in the Media Courthouse to prosecute? Don’t they all support Meehan one way or the other?
Lee Levan
Mar 17th, 2010
When a conflict of interest arises, the county district attorney can request that the state attorney general take over the prosecution. It’s not an uncommon procedure.
Interestingly enough, the state attorney general is none other than Tom Corbit, Republican candidate for governor.
I believe that another alternative is for a judge, upon request, to appoint a temporary prosecutor, unaffiliated with the county DA, for a specific case or cases.
Reality
Mar 17th, 2010
Dray –
Uhm….oops.
I am just used to the posters here who are ridiculous in their defense of the indefensible.
Seamus
Mar 18th, 2010
Patty me boy….What is a leprechaun to do? Well don’t worry me boy! Sure as the skin on yer face is peeling, me sure that a republican will do tha right thing! Don’t worry Patty me boy!
David Diano
Mar 18th, 2010
If the Delco DA’s and Judges avoided conflicts of interests, there would be little point in the Delco GOP having them bought and paid for.
BB
Mar 18th, 2010
Is any Pa. taxpayer surprised at this mess? We need to CHANGE THE CULTURE. Enough already.
David Diano
Mar 18th, 2010
BB-
The Delco GOP runs the most corrupt county in the state. Catching them in wrong doing is difficult because they control the courts as well.