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Pa. House spam scam is outlined Prosecutors: $1.7 million spent on campaign-related e-mail
Phillly.com (Philadelphia Inquirer) ^ | 7/27/08 | Mario F. Cattabiani

Posted on 07/27/2008 5:14:44 AM PDT by dirtboy

HARRISBURG - They cost only a dime each, but it added up quickly. Over more than two years, as they toiled in the minority, Democrats in the state House allegedly purchased millions of e-mail addresses to send campaign-related propaganda to Pennsylvania voters who were stuck paying the political tab - $1.2 million.

And that's not including several hundred thousand more in public funds that went to a tech consultant - the son of a state representative - who allegedly made it all look like a legitimate legislative endeavor.

Details of the conspiracy were laid out recently in the 74-page grand-jury indictments against a dozen Harrisburg insiders in what has become known as Bonusgate.

They are charged with carrying out a massive conspiracy to use public funds and staff to underwrite political campaigns.

But lost in the sensationalism of the charges, which included allegations of a sex-for-state-job swap involving a former beauty queen, was the e-mail scam that authorities say ended up costing taxpayers, in total, more than $1.7 million over five years

(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; Politics/Elections; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: bonusgate; campaigfinance; democrats; democratscheat; demonrats; elections; michaelmanzo; michaelveon; pennsylvania; ratscaughtagain; sexforstatejob
Dems behaving badly - but there really hasn't been all that much coverage of this story.
1 posted on 07/27/2008 5:14:44 AM PDT by dirtboy
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To: dirtboy
which included allegations of a sex-for-state-job swap involving a former beauty queen...

WHAT????? I missed that one!

2 posted on 07/27/2008 5:24:07 AM PDT by Virginia Ridgerunner ("We must not forget that there is a war on and our troops are in the thick of it!"--Duncan Hunter)
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To: dirtboy
Dems behaving badly - but there really hasn't been all that much coverage of this story.

Causal relationship.

3 posted on 07/27/2008 5:24:17 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows (~ ~ FREE LAZAMATAZ! ~ ~ [Shipping and handling charges may apply.])
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To: dirtboy

This is the second “massive conspiracy” among Democrats in Pennsylvania brought to light this year. Apparently there was another in which the Dems were using state employees to do campaign work on the tax payers’ money.

Scum.


4 posted on 07/27/2008 5:26:40 AM PDT by vladimir998 (Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. St. Jerome)
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To: Virginia Ridgerunner
Report: Manzo hired beauty queen for sex

When Angela Bertugli landed an internship with Democratic state Rep. Bill DeWeese in the summer of 2004, it looked like the start of big things for the small-town beauty queen who was distinguishing herself in her studies at Washington & Jefferson College.

Later that summer, the political science student intern met DeWeese's powerful Harrisburg chief of staff, Michael Manzo.

A grand jury report released this week said on their first meeting Manzo and Bertugli shared drinks, and later had sex.

After she graduated from college and moved to Pittsburgh for graduate school, Bertugli told investigators, she became Manzo's Pittsburgh mistress and was hired as a ghost employee on the state payroll. He allegedly housed her in a makeshift office above a Pittsburgh cigar shop.

5 posted on 07/27/2008 5:30:22 AM PDT by dirtboy
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To: dirtboy

OLTG’s Rules of Policics #34522 “Campaign Laws are for conservatives.”


6 posted on 07/27/2008 5:31:07 AM PDT by Onelifetogive (* Sarcasm tag ALWAYS required. For some FReepers, sarcasm can never be obvious enough.)
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To: dirtboy
iallegations of a sex-for-state-job swap involving a former beauty queen

The purpose of politics is to get power, the purpose of getting power is to get more money, the prupose of getting more money is to get more sex. At the end of EVERY political scandal you will find sex...

7 posted on 07/27/2008 5:34:32 AM PDT by Onelifetogive (* Sarcasm tag ALWAYS required. For some FReepers, sarcasm can never be obvious enough.)
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To: Virginia Ridgerunner

Angela Bertugli
is her name. Her whole family is neck deep in slimey Dem. politics.

Article and picture: http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20080718_Clout__Miss_Rain_Day__Nice_work__if_you_can_get_it.html


8 posted on 07/27/2008 5:36:42 AM PDT by vladimir998 (Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. St. Jerome)
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To: vladimir998
The sex slut in question...


9 posted on 07/27/2008 5:49:04 AM PDT by Virginia Ridgerunner ("We must not forget that there is a war on and our troops are in the thick of it!"--Duncan Hunter)
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To: Calpernia; milford421

Ping.


10 posted on 07/27/2008 6:55:30 AM PDT by nw_arizona_granny ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts?page=451 SURVIVAL, RECIPES, GARDENS, & INFO)
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To: dirtboy
There really has been far too little coverage of this whole scandal. Evey story I've seen, though, mentions that this isn't just a Democrat scandal, but also a Republican scandal - no names for the R's though, and no indictments yet. I'm ready for an election to throw them ALL out. Maybe that should be the goal of the state citizens for the state primaries the next few years - no incumbents make it to the general election!
11 posted on 07/27/2008 7:46:45 AM PDT by Kay Ludlow (Free market, but cautious about what I support with my dollars)
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To: dirtboy
He allegedly housed her in a makeshift office above a Pittsburgh cigar shop.

Those kinky Democrats and their cigars.

12 posted on 07/27/2008 8:02:27 AM PDT by Sooth2222 ("Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of congress. But I repeat myself." M.Twain)
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To: Virginia Ridgerunner

Not Guilty!


13 posted on 07/27/2008 8:30:43 AM PDT by Islander7 ("Show me an honest politician and I will show you a case of mistaken identity.")
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To: Virginia Ridgerunner

Now there’s a really big queenie award. I guess she is a hootie you would want to have with you under an umbrella.


14 posted on 07/27/2008 12:30:02 PM PDT by hdstmf
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