John Morganelli's AG campaign camp has been nailed for sending anonymous emails that backstab potential rival Chris Casey as a closet Republican. Another rival, Jim Eisenhower, is praised as "our best choice." Morganelli is dismissed a "2-time loser and non-factor."Harrisburg Patriot News correspondent Brett Lieberman broke this story, noting that the knucklehead sending these anonymous emails, did so from an email account registered to John Morganelli's family.
Morganelli has since "taken responsibility" for these political hi jinks. He denies anyone from his family is involved. He even denies that supporters Lamont McClure and Tom Severson, who specialize in dirty politics, had anything to do with this backfired smear. But he won't identify the culprit. He just says those responsible are no longer on his campaign team. "ALL persons with access are not working for the campaign anymore."
I know John Morganelli. I believe him. It could very well be that he has no desire to embarrass a young and overzealous volunteer. Perhaps he just rid his campaign of anyone who might have sent such an email.
But those who don't know John so well want answers.
Capitolwire's Pete DeCoursey, whose report appears in PoliticsPA, sagely notes that if there are two words you don't want to see associated with the state's top crime dog, "they are 'over' and 'zealous.'"
Comments at Keystone Politics, a Democratic blog, have also been highly critical. "What is there to lose in revealing the person whose foolishness committed this comedy unless it is Morganelli himself - makes one wonder." ... "Morganelli continues to duck the big question. I am not sure how Morganelli expects to run for top cop if he can’t come clean."
And tenacious Brett Leiberman just won't go away. He asks his readers,"[I]f voters can't trust him to give them a straight answer on who is using his e-mail account, can they trust him to run a nonpartisan and professional department?"
Brett is right. Voters are unlikely to trust Morganelli until he identifies the person responsible for the botched email slur.
Perhaps it's Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli. I sure hope it's not Sam Bennett.
7 comments:
What is most incredible is Morganelli acknowledging in Leiberman's column that he is responsible for using part of the same attack message contained in the email on Casey. Being this dirty this early is not a good sign especially when the attack message is wrong and twisted.
It's hard to understand how a politician who is either 1) this inept, or, 2) this dirty, practically runs unopposed for his current job.
Forget about statewide office, t's time to send Morganelli into private practice.
I think John is hoping this just dies down. There have been stories in The Harrisburg Patriot News, Morning Call, Express Times, Capitolwire, Keystone Politics, Pennsyltucky Politics, PoliticsPA, Grassroots PA, Above Average Jane and here. But there has been no statewide coverage so not a lot of people know about this.
I neglected to mention Micek's Capitol Ideas. Mea culpa.
Chris Casey is a "closet Republican?" Which one, our Casey or the other Casey? There's too many damned Casey's in this state!
Well done, Bernie. At least citizen journalists like you are willing to get to the bottom of this mess. Everyone should be flooding the inboxes of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Phila Daily News, Pittsburgh Post Gazette and Pittsburgh Tribune Review and asking them why they are not on top of this scandal.
This issue may get quiet for a while but it will not go away. There are too many Casey supporters out there who will insist on Morganelli coming clean, not to mention the press corp that he has been less than straight with on this. Bernie, you should tell your friend that it is the cover up that always gets politicians not the offense. If he comes clean now he may be able to keep some support.
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