Corbett fires back at Rendell, Morganelli

Republican Attorney General Tom Corbett said his opponent, Democrat John Morganelli, is a "great Monday morning quarterback.": Politicker Photo

HARRISBURG -- Check your math, governor.

That was Attorney General Tom Corbett's (R) response Monday when asked about Governor Ed Rendell's (D) complaint that "Bonusgate" has, thus far at least, yielded charges against only Democrats.

"I don't understand why after two years you only could make your decision on Democrats," Rendell said in early August. "If there was chicanery by all of the caucuses, (the voters) have the right to know that before the election."

But the attorney general's office started investigating allegations of illegal bonuses in February of 2007, Corbett said, noting that only 18 months had passed since then.

"His math was off," Corbett told PolitickerPA.com as took a quick break from a fundraiser at the Dauphin County Bar Association in downtown Harrisburg. Corbett was there to raise money for his campaign against Democrat John Morganelli, who he faces this fall in an election most have pegged as competitive.

Rendell's remarks surprised him, Corbett said, because the governor is a former Philadelphia district attorney. Rendell, who Corbett emphasized knows nothing about the investigation's details, is simply playing politics, he said.

Asked whether the governor's remarks were inappropriate, Corbett waved his hands before saying "politics."

Rendell is not the only Democrat criticizing the attorney general lately. Morganelli, Northampton County's district attorney, has criticized Corbett for, among other faults, not investigating all four legislative caucuses simultaneously.

Corbett dismissed the criticism before calling Morganelli a "great Monday morning quarterback."

"He criticizes, but I have yet to see what he's going to do as attorney general," Corbett said.

The attorney general then took issue with defining Morganelli's campaign as "aggressive," saying thus far it has been only "negative." Aggressive candidates traverse the state to talk to voters about their campaign, and Corbett said he hasn't seen Morganelli do much of that.

"He's not traveling all over Pennsylvania campaigning," Corbett said. "He's sitting back and taking pot-shots."

The attorney general, also rumored to be a contender for the 2010 governor's race, said he's been to about 20 fairs already. His weekends are consumed between the trail and his day job, he said.

"I've had two days off since July 4th," he said.

Corbett's campaign will continue in early September when he travels to Minnesota for the GOP's national convention.