"Bonus-gate" Probe Deepens

E-mails Show How Dems Tied Staffers' Bonuses To Campaign Work

From the story: E-mail messages exchanged by top aides in the Democratic caucus starting in 2004 make clear that taxpayer-funded bonuses were given to legislative employees for their work on election campaigns.

In startlingly blunt language, a group of aides, at points working under the direction of then-House Minority Whip Michael Veon, D-Beaver, rated the political work of state employees, sometimes adjusting the amounts of the bonuses based on time they spent in the field or, in one instance, in getting presidential candidate Ralph Nader off the Pennsylvania ballot. Read more…

Bonus Pay Spread Over Party Lines In State Legislature

New evidence is emerging that House Democrats used taxpayer-funded bonuses to pay employees for campaign work, but they aren't the only ones who made questionable use of bonuses last year.

Campaign filings and state payroll records show that other legislative caucuses also gave large bonuses to employees who did extensive campaign work, including one who was on state payroll for only half the year.

Among House Republicans, Brian Preski, former chief of staff to the former speaker, John Perzel, was reimbursed more than $160,000 for expenses related to his boss's campaign, including $40,000 in salary. He received a $16,474 bonus at taxpayer expense. Read more...

Watch for more scheduled legislative sessions to be cancelled as party leaders grapple to handle the latest fallout. I would anticipate Senate Republican staffers to receive subpoenas next.

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