Gov. Tom Corbett (R-PA)
Pennsylvania’s Republican Governor Tom Corbett has been an ally to Big Business and the rich — Ai??subsidizing private schools, cutting taxes on the rich, and opening up more land for gas drilling.
An investigation published this morning by the Philadelphia Inquirer finds one reason why: Ai??since he ran in 2010, lobbyists and corporations have given over $11,000 in gifts and perks to Corbett and his wife. Here are a few of them:
- $2,500 tickets to theAi??Ai??Philadelphia Academy of Music anniversary concert: These tickets came courtesy of the Blank Rome law firm, which represents gas drillers among others.
- Expensive flights on private jets:Ai??Frank Schoeneman, chief executive of the Pottsville-based Empire Education Group, flew Corbett on a private jet to an event in Pittsburgh, for a cost of $1,407.
- Buying the first lady a pricey gown: The chief executive ofAi??Aegis Security Insurance donated $1,800 for the cost of Mrs. Corbett’s inaugural gown and coat.
Pennsylvania law technically bars donors from giving anything to a public official that would guarantee a quid-pro-quo — meaning that if Corbett were to explicitly guarantee anything in return for these gifts, he’d be breaking the law. But it does not ban gift-giving.
Not to mention accepting a $20,000 donation from the Second Mile Foundation and then giving them a $1.3 million grant. You should also mention unnecessary cut to public and higher education. Along with, Corbett’s attempt to outsource the State Lottery to a foreign owned company and to take over teacher’s pension. Also, Gov. Corbett is being investigated for his potential role in the coverup of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.
The current Governor of Pennsylvania is acting just like a heartless, conservative Republican. We all know he hates the middle class and cares only about his rich friends. He makes no secret of his opinions, and we can just about predict more fracking, fewer unions, smaller pensions, less jobs, more taxes for the poor and more goodies for the rich.
It might be worse. The Governor could be a Democrat, who favors cutting Social Security and Medicare, but pretends to be a loyal Democrat, pulling the wool over the eyes of many party leaders for decades.
I’d always prefer an evil, but honest conservative, who hates the “little people”, than another Ed Rendell, who wants to stab you in the back, while he smiles his silly grin..
Not to mention that the Gov. at the time of voting for the $ 1.3 was aware of Sandusky being investigated but did not feel obligated to even try to post-pone the grant. The private jet ride estimate given by Mr. Corbett is a joke! On line quotes to travel from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh for 2 people for one day on a small private jet ranges from $7,000 to $10,000. I am willing to wager that it would not be hard to find a first class passenger not willing to pay $1,407, price for a seat to fly on a private jet just to avoid all the hassles when flying on commercial flights!!!