As Sentor Fumo’s Trial Begins the Spending Continues

Senator Vince Fumo's trial began yesterday with the first day of jury selection. In the days leading up to the trial the senator was doing what he does best: doling out taxpayers’ hard-earned money for corporate welfare projects, including a new produce distribution center ($150 million of the $280 million project is subsidized with tax dollars).

You would think any politician with a 139-count indictment would have few friends but apparently 30 years of handing out other people's money buys you a lot of support. Fumo is accused of misallocating public funds for private gain, but supporters last week said, “Sen. Fumo was not just a savior on this job . . . [he] also made sure that not one nickel of taxpayer money was misspent.”

How in the world could a part-time legislator receiving full-time pay be misspending taxpayer money?

Oh I don't know, maybe by neglecting his duties and not returning to Harrisburg during September's limited session while collecting his full salary of $76,613.

Read the Philly Inquirer and the Post-Gazette for details.