Spending state $ for partisan political purposes- sound familiar?
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has all the details:
Former House Speaker John Perzel, one of the most powerful members of the General Assembly since 1994, was charged Thursday with 82 felonies for allegedly masterminding a “sophisticated criminal strategy” to spend more than $10 million of taxpayers’ money on political campaigns, Attorney General Tom Corbett said.
Most of that money paid for computer technology to help Perzel, a Republican who represents a Northeast Philadelphia district, and other House Republicans win elections, a statewide grand jury concluded. Perzel is charged with theft, conspiracy, obstruction of justice and conflict of interest.
“By all accounts, Perzel was aggressive in the acquisition and retention of power,” the grand jury report said. “He demanded obedience and loyalty, and punished or eliminated those, whether elected officials or employees, who challenged that power.”
Perzel, 59, was charged with nine other Republicans, including a former legislator and Perzel’s former chief of staff, based on recommendations of the 188-page grand jury report, said Corbett, a Republican candidate for governor.
