State House Appropriations Committee Investigating DNC Funds
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- While the State House Appropriations Committee wants former Governor Ed Rendell to testify on the use of surplus money from the Democratic National Convention Host Committee, he says another investigation comes first.
State Representative Stan Saylor, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, expects Ed Rendell to answer questions about how the leftover funds were spent.
The DNC Host Committee raised more than anticipated, $86 million according to Rendell, who served as chairman of the Host Committee.
Bonuses to Committee staff, totaling nearly $1 million, ranged from $500 for interns to more than $300,000 for the executive director.
Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale is auditing how the Committee spent a $10 million state grant. Rendell, who defends the bonuses, says he was told by the Auditor General's office to wait for it to wrap up its work by the end of June, after which he could testify to members of the legislature.
A spokeswoman for the Host Committee says no taxpayer dollars went to staff compensation, and the state grant was kept in a separate account.
