John Morganelli

With lawmakers in Harrisburg absorbed by the traditional budget squabbles, The Patriot-News reports that the Capital could soon be rocked by charges stemming from the long-running investigation into bonuses granted to legislative staffers.

People familiar with the investigation told The Patriot-News that Attorney General Tom Corbett's year-long investigation of House Democrats will soon yield criminal charges. What remains unclear is if current lawmakers or staffers will be implicated, or if the charges will be contained to those no longer in office.

Corbett, a Republican, is himself facing reelection this year against  Democrat John Morganelli.

Democratic Party committeewoman Sandy Wolfe will deliver a message at this weekend's State Committee meeting: It's not all about John McCain vs. Barack Obama.

"Yes, we want the national ticket, but we're the state committee," said Wolfe, a Mechanicsburg resident. "We've never won attorney general, and I think John (Morganelli) stands a good shot."

She was referring to the Northampton County district attorney's attempt to unseat the Republican incumbent, Attorney General Tom Corbett.

Northampton DA and democratic Attorney General candidate John Morganelli today hit Republican Attorney General Tom Corbett over election law reporting requirements.  “Because of Attorney General Tom Corbett's surrender in federal court in the case of Center for Individual Freedom, there is now no longer any reporting requirements for ANY person, committee, association or corporation who run tv ads, phone calls, direct mail, or any other type of communication with the voters and the public as long as the communication does not "expressly advocate the election or defeat of a candidate,"  said Morganelli.