'Bonusgate' update: Did Democrats shred documents?

Two interesting developments this week in the ongoing "Bonusgate" investigation by the Pennsylvania Attorney General.

(If you've been on a deserted island in the past year, Attorney General Tom Corbett is looking into allegations that Pennsylvania Legislative leaders paid staffers more than $3.6 million in bonuses to do political work while collecting a salary from taxpayers. That's against the law.)

Two newspaper articles this week provide updates on the year-long investigation.

First, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that a former intern for the House Democratic Caucus told authorities he was ordered to shred boxes of personnel records "later sought in a grand jury probe into whether state employees were given taxpayer-funded bonuses in return for political work."

The shredding took place at the time a computer server was being relocated inside the Capitol building, the newspaper says. Investigators now want to know if the move was used as cover to destroy hourly leave and compensatory time slips. Prosecutors are attempting to determine whether the destruction was part of a coverup, according to reporter Dennis B. Roddy.

Although both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been the target of a grand jury investigation, the focus of "Bonusgate" is on House Democratic Majority Leader Bill DeWeese, who has already fired some of his top staffers for their involvement in the bonus payments.

The $3.6-million question is what did Bill DeWeese know and when did he know it? The bigger question is whether the grand jury will hand down indictments before the Nov. 4 election. All 102 House members, including DeWeese, face reelection this year.

The second interesting development this week comes from The Philadelphia Inquirer, which reports that the cost of the investigation so far has topped the $1 million mark and there's no end in sight.

You know how I feel about state spending. But in this case, it's money well spent. The "Bonusgate" investigation cuts to the heart of corruption in Harrisburg.

I'm willing to spend the $1 million to expose and eventually convict any "public servant" who broke the law.