Pennsylvania Lottery

Corbett’s Privatization Spending Under Fire

Posted by Jeff Davis

Pennsylvania Lottery

Last week Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett came under fire for spending over $3.5 million on lottery privatization consultants and legal fees. The privatization attempt is just one of a handful of cases that have cost Pennsylvania taxpayers millions. Other cases included defending a challenge to the states voter ID laws and an unsuccessful challenge to the NCAA’s sanctions against Penn State for its handling of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal. Records show that since 2012 the Corbett administration has spent $6.5 million on outside law firms. Corbett used the firms to push his agenda and for three controversial matters.

Administration officials defend the spending and say that since Corbwett took office in 2011 spending on outside law firms has actually decreased. Officials said that whenever possible cases are handled in house. Despite the hundreds of attorneys working in the Attorney General’s office and other state departments every administration spends tens of millions of dollars a year on outside law firms to give advice or defend employees and state agencies. Former Governor Rendell was criticized for his administration’s contracts with law firms. Rendell was harshly criticized for giving work to his former law firm, Ballard Spahr.

Read more at:  Pennsylvania Lottery