Penn Pike chairman Rubin now "target" of FBI investigation, seeks "leave"

Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission chairman Mitchell Rubin has been formally notified he is the "target" of an FBI investigation. Following notification Rubin wrote the state governor Ed Rendell saying that he wishes to take "leave" from the chairmanship. He said in the letter to the governor that this was to attend to "personal matters."

Rubin's friend and patron in the state legislature Vincent Fumo was last week convicted on 137 counts of thievery, obstruction of justice, and other crimes by a grand jury in US Court after a five month trial. Rubin's wife Ruth, a longtime aide to Fumo was convicted of 45 counts of thievery in the same case. The pair stole $3.5m, prosecutors said.

In his state Senate position Fumo paid Rubin $30k/year for five years for no work, according to one of the counts on which Fumo was convicted. Fumo also bragged to the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper that Rubin's selection as chairman of the Turnpike Commission was "my call."

The Turnpike Commission has no official biography on Rubin, but he has been variously reported as having gambling interests and as operating a business that serves the courts. His year of birth was 1952.

Major spokesman for the commissioners has always been Timothy Carson, vice-chairman. Carson will take over the chaimanship in Rubin's absence. The job is part-time and pays about $28k/yr.

TOLLROADSnews 2009-03-22