Lincoln Blog

August 26, 2008:

While most of his fellow Democrats are in Denver for the crowing of The Chosen One, Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli has stayed behind in Pennsylvania. Campaigning against an incumbent for Attorney General in a state the size of Pennsylvania is a daunting task, and Morganelli said he didn't feel he could take time out to go and party in Denver.

He is making the most of his stay at home vacation. Morganelli spoke to the Pennsylvania Press Club on Monday and struck the bulls-eye on Attorney General Tom Corbett more times than a sharp shooter at target practice.

He hammered the Attorney General for his handling of the bonus gate scandal.

He hammered the Attorney General for taking campaign contributions from indicted casino operator Lou DeNaples and not returning the money.

He even hammered the Attorney General for having his dry cleaning done at taxpayers' expense.

As typically happens the campaigns for statewide "row" offices, including Attorney General, have been drowned out by the clamor of the Presidential race. But, if Morganelli's performance yesterday is any indication of what is ahead the Attorney General's campaign could break out into an actual race.

Attorney General Tom Corbett has been basking in the publicity of his investigation and indictments in the so-called bonus gate scandal. More indictments are rumored and the conventional wisdom around the capitol is that much more is to come.

That heightened profile was widely believed to have given Corbett an advantage in the Attorney General's race, but a recent poll conducted by Susquehanna Polling & Research found that, while leading, Corbett has received no big bonus gate "bounce." In fact, more voters remained undecided in the poll than expressed a preference for either Morganelli or Corbett.

And Morganelli is not shy about going after Corbett even on bonus gate. He was strongly critical of the Attorney General for failing to swoop in and impound computer data and paper files from all four caucuses simultaneously, rather than having focused on House Democrats first. That attack silently implying Corbett acted in a partisan fashion, an attack line he is likely to hear frequently from Democrats as the fall campaign unfolds.

At this point Corbett's incumbency, financial advantage, and on-going bonus gate high profile all make him a strong front-runner. But, Morganelli demonstrated on Monday he has clearly done his home work and, if he can raise the money to get out his message, has hit upon some issues which could keep everybody up late on election night waiting for the final votes to be counted.

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