The Continuing Saga of Corruption and Patronage in Pennsylvania

Another of former Senator Fumo’s aides was indicted yesterday, for taking contracts from the Pennsylvania Senate, but doing no work – except favors to Sen. Fumo.  Of course, Palermo was then moved from the Senate payroll to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s payroll in 2003, with a $120,000/year consulting contract, where he also allegedly did no work for the commission, but continued to manage Fumo’s farm.

But hey, those are the old days, after all, “it isn’t your father’s Turnpike Commission.”  I mean it isn’t like a Senate Transportation Committee staffer who helped kill the proposed Turnpike lease and craft Act 44, giving the Turnpike Commission power to toll and manage I-80, would be rewarded with a lobbying job with the Turnpike Commission.