Pennsylvania: Bonusgate

Remember "Bonusgate"?

The wide-ranging investigation into alleged misuse of taxpayer money for political purposes was back in the news Thursday, when The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported prosecutors in the attorney general's office asked a judge to intervene and force House Republican lawyers to comply with their subpoena requests.

To read the complete Post-Gazette story, click here.

HARRISBURG -- Former Democratic Speaker of the House Robert O'Donnell said Monday he fears the influence of criminal investigations into the legislature but declined to specifically criticize Republican Attorney General Tom Corbett's "Bonusgate" investigation.

The rules of what constitutes illegal politicking on the taxpayer dime are very unclear, O'Donnell said, speaking at the monthly Pennsylvania Press Club Luncheon. As a result, they're applied very unevenly, he said.

Todd Eachus, chairman of the House Democratic Campaign Committee, told PolitickerPA.com after all but one of the state House races had been called that he didn't realize how big an issue "Bonusgate" was going to be in some races.

A surge in voter turnout and success at the top of the Democratic ticket will likely propel House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese (D-Greene County) to re-election despite last week's bombshell testimony from the longtime incumbent's former chief of staff, a southwest Pennsylvania political science professor tells PolitickerPA.com.