Pennsylvanians have, for some time, been entertained with a scandal called Bonusgate,
which involves state legislative staff not only being used for
campaigns, but getting bonuses, which makes a common practice appear
even uglier. The ugliness has recently increased in intensity:
defense counsel for two of the legislators is accusing the attorney
general (who instituted the criminal actions) of doing the very
same thing, without the bonuses. And the
attorney general, of a different political party than the great
majority of the
accused legislators, is running for governor. Could a screenwriter come
up with a better plot to undermine citizens' trust in those who
represent them?
The elephant in the room is the fact that most elected officials use
their staff in their campaigns, and often loan them out to others', as
well. The way to deal with conduct this common is not to
prosecute it (especially when it is politically convenient). The best
way, I think, is to recognize that this conduct
is here to stay, and then regulate it.