PA AG Investigation Expands

Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell is confirming Revenue Secretary Steve Stetler has been invited to testify before a Harrisburg grand jury investigating the misuse of taxpayer dollars for campaign purposes. When Attorney General Tom Corbett announced the last round of legislative corruption charges in November, he said the investigation was ongoing and now there are indications the case is moving into a new phase. Revenue Secretary Steve Stetler, a former York County lawmaker who once chaired the House Democratic Campaign Committee, has been invited to testify before the grand jury, according to Governor Rendell. He says, “It was a letter asking him to come testify before the grand jury, and he’s going to do that.” Rendell says he maintains full confidence in Stetler, and insists he’s doing a “great job.” “Obviously if something happens we’ll deal with that at the appropriate time,” says Rendell. Grand jury testimony leaked to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette this summer indicates Stetler may have rejected proposals to fund opposition research efforts with campaign dollars, instead of caucus money. The Attorney General’s office hasn’t returned calls for comment as of this posting.