Bird’s-Eye View

Jon Baer of the Philadelphia Daily News penned a sharp op-ed noting how not only did taxpayers fund the illegal bonuses alledgedly dolled out to legislative staffers for campaign work, but taxpayers also paid for attorney fees, a double whammy Baer notes:
As reported by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and the Associated Press, House Democrats paid more […]

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State Attorney General Tom Corbett appears to be following through on his promise to investigate Republicans as well as Democrats in the Bonusgate case. From the Associated Press:
Steve Miskin, a state House Republican spokesman, said 20 to 30 House staffers have been contacted by investigators in recent weeks and are cooperating. A source said the […]

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CapitolWire.com’s Pete DeCoursey has a column published in today’s Intelligencer Journal on A10 slamming elected officials and statewide candidates for “ducking” questions on whether Democratic House Leader Bill DeWeese should resign. DeWeese was in the top Democratic House post when the alleged Bonusgate transgressions took place.
Writes DeCoursey:
The hundreds of felony counts, it is true, did […]

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We come to it at last. State Attorney General Tom Corbett is set to appear at a 2 p.m. press conference to announce criminal charges related to an investigation into whether legislative employees were paid illegal bonuses for campaign work. How widespread the net will be - current lawmakers, former lawmakers, current or former staffers […]

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Breathe a sigh of relief. Call off the search dogs. The kids can come out the play, again.
Late last night, Gov. Ed Rendell announced an agreement between his office and the Legislature over a budget that was more than $500 million less than what Rendell wanted. Here’s some details from his press release:
The Governor said […]

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The state Senate this afternoon passed a tax cut package. From the Associated Press:
The four bills that passed Monday are a Republican plan to deliver relief to businesses and low-income taxpayers and to jump-start a sluggish economy.
But Democrats argued against the bills, saying now isn’t the time to cut taxes, when the state is scrounging […]

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I don’t get it. The state Senate reversed course just a few moments ago and approved the same smoking ban bill they voted down last week. Today’s vote was 41-9 in favor. Last week’s vote was 31-19 against. The same exemptions (bars and taverns with 20 percent or less revenue from food; cigar bars; private […]

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We at the Nest are taking out our Army helmets. The political bombs at the state Capitol are flying back and forth as Republicans and Democrats launch daily salvos. Here’s today’s damage report:

Senate Republicans unveiled their own health care reform package they say only costs $100 million and would cover 500,000 Pennsylvanians currently uninsured. That’s […]

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And just when you thought it couldn’t get any more unpredictable, the state Senate rejected the smoking ban compromise 31-19. The overriding issue was the prohibition in the bill on local municipalilties enacting their own, tougher smoking bans.
This issue has morphed into a significant road block for the proposed smoking ban. Last month, Democratic Gov. […]

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The Associated Press reported a compromise on the smoking ban:
After two hours of debate, a legislative conference committee voted 5-1 to ban smoking in most workplaces and public spaces, including restaurants, office buildings, bus and train stations and sports arenas.
BUT …
he bill contains a dozen exemptions. They include bars and taverns; tobacco shops; cigar bars; […]

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