The "team" is not Pennsylvania's Republicans.
The "team" is - us. Republicans. Democrats. Independents. Unregistered residents.
Two years - and probably $10 million - ago, Corbett announced an investigation that produced charges, but no convictions, against a dozen staffers and one former lawmaker from the House Democratic caucus.
The investigation is going nowhere.
Even fellow Republicans sense the frustration. State Sen. John Eichelberger last week labeled the investigation a "joke," because its going-nowhere status leaves Corbett vulnerable to the charge that he is playing political games, not prosecuting criminals.
That could be bad for Corbett next year, either in the primary election - if Republicans field credible opponents - or in the general election.
But it could be worse for the rest of us.
Suppose that next year, you are a juror in one of the trials spawned by Corbett's investigation. Suppose you add 2 plus 2 in your head, court testimony notwithstanding, and you get 5 (or maybe 4). You think the prosecution was unfair to begin with. How impartial will you be? How honest will a verdict be?
Corbett is a big boy. He knew what he was getting into when he sought the attorney general's job. He knew that some aspects of that job could boost his political career afterward - or damage it.
We think Corbett owes it to the taxpayers who have paid his salary to stay with the investigation until it concludes, or until his term ends.
And, to make it clear that the investigation was not political in nature, Corbett should withdraw his name from consideration as a candidate next year for governor.
- Denny Bonavita
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