Criminal probe reported into corruption at Penn Pike

Morning Call, the major newspaper of northeast Pennsylvania frontpages a report today that there's a major criminal investigation into corruption at the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. It quotes a former employee, name undisclosed, saying he was questioned in front of a state grand jury in Pittsburgh recently, and asked under oath for information on patronage jobs, political campaign contributions and contracts at the Turnpike.

A Turnpike spokesman is quoted as saying there have been "rumors" about an investigation, but that he doesn't know of anything specific. Law officials don't confirm or deny.

Pennsylvania Governor Rendell dismissed the chairman of the Turnpike Commission Mitchell Rubin March 19 after the US Government released a letter telling Rubin he was a "target" of a federal investigation.

The letter said he was under investigation for accepting $150k as a no-work consultant to the state Senate Appropriations Committee. That committee was the citadel and personal treasury of jailed ex-senator Vincent Fumo convicted on 137 counts of corruption in US Court March 17. On trial along with Fumo was Rubin's wife who is also now in jail after conviction of related thievery extending over several years.

The US indictment of Fumo back in Feb 2007 said that Rubin had used his influence with the Turnpike in 2003 to steer a contract to a Fumo-related company which was paid $220k by the Turnpike for no work that could be substantiated.

TOLLROADSnews 2009-09-05