Fumo on the Pennsylvania Turnpike - with friends like this... COMMENT

State senator Vincent Fumo was quoted at the weekend as saying of the Pennsylvania Turnpike under the present arrangements: "(It) is what it is, and I think it works very well." (Harrisburg Patriot-News 2007-09-08)

Fumo faces 139 counts of fraud, obstruction, and other corruption crimes in a 272 page indictment by a federal grand jury released Feb 6 2007 after a five year investigation by federal authorities. He is due to go to trial in February 2008.

The indictment reports that when he was no longer able to put his retainers on the state senate payroll on no-work contracts Fumo got them put on the Turnpike payroll instead.

Also going on trial with Fumo is the wife of the chairman of the Turnpike Commission Ruth Arneo. And the chairman of the Turnpike Mitchell Rubin while not indicted is described as having benefited from no-work/Fumo-pay to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars, and as being part of his clique who spent freely other peoples money.

No doubt the Turnpike has been "working well" for the likes of V Fumo. Very well indeed.

With friends like this speaking up for it the Turnpike Commission doesn't need any enemies.

see http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/pae/News/Pr/2007/feb/Fumoind.pdf

TOLLROADSnews 2007-09-10