Online Budget Bill

With recent Harrisburg scandals such as "Bonusgate", a representative is pushing a bill that will list budget line items and expenses online. State Representative Jim Christiana of Beaver County says House Bill 1460 will make the state budget more transparent. He says there are 20 states and the federal government that have such a law in place, and on average it costs approximately $140,000. The database PennWATCH.com would be updated at the end of every month to ensure accuracy.

"People from their homes, or their Blackberrys or iPhones can track their tax dollars and see exactly where they're spending it," Christiana says.

There are 102 co-sponsors backing the bill.

DeWeese Fires Back at Former Chief of Staff

Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese says the testimony of a former aide implicating DeWeese in the so-called Bonusgate scandal is false.
Representative DeWeese called an impromptu press conference in a hallway outside the House of Representatives to dispute the comments of his former chief of staff.
Mike Manzo testified at a preliminary hearing for 2 people indicted in connection with alleged illegal bonuses paid to state employees for doing campaign work. Manzo testified that DeWeese knew about bonuses given to state staffers and condoned them.
DeWeese called Manzo a desperate and disgruntled former employee.

"Mike Manzo's speculation that I knew about his criminal acts is absolutely false and there is no evidence to support his opinion."

DeWeese says he has fully cooperated with authorities, and Manzo is retaliating against him for being fired last year.

"He has lied to his wife, to his girlfriend, to investigators and to me. His motives are suspect and his opinions are just not credible."

The grand jury presentment handed down in August charged that Manzo gave an alleged girlfriend in Pittsburgh a ghost job.
Senior Deputy Attorney General Anthony Krastek would not comment on whether DeWeese will be indicted. He only said the investigation is continuing.

Bonusgate Takes Big Turn in Court

A former aide to state House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese today testified in court that his boss knew bonuses were given to state workers as rewards for illegal campaign work - and that he “condoned” them. Until now, former DeWeese chief of staff Mike Manzo was one of the most important defendants charged with corruption, theft and criminal conspiracy in the bonus case. His testimony in the preliminary hearing for former caucus staffer Annamarie Perretta-Rosepink was a real surprise in the courtroom. State Senior Deputy Attorney General Anthony Krastek says Manzo agreed to a plea bargain right before the hearing. He says the state made no promises of leniency in return for his testimony. Manzo's lawyer told reporters he would plead guilty to at least three felony charges brought against him. The attorney general has not charged Majority Leader DeWeese. Attorney General Corbett says his investigation continues in to both republican and Democratic activities. No additional charges will be filed until after the November election.