Did Corbett bury Delco GOP forgery case?

... or is it just more extensive than first thought? Read today's story for a quick update on the state investigation of forged signatures involving Delaware County Republican candidates leading up to the 2010 primary.

The question isn't whether a crime has been committed. The evidence, which was turned over to the state attorney general's office nearly 10 months ago, is irrefutable. Back in March, I also confirmed additional forgeries by calling people who said they didn't sign anything. It's a whodunit at this point. Was it Upper Darby GOP operative Paul Summers acting alone? Or were others involved? Even though Tom Corbett, a Republican, has moved from attorney general to governor, an AG spokesman assures me that the investigation is "ongoing."

But there are enough potential conflicts of interest to make your head spin. Here's a new one: The interim attorney general is Corbett's deputy, William H. Ryan Jr., who happens to be a former Delaware County District Attorney. U.S. Rep. Pat Meehan, whose nominating petitions are under investigation, is also a former Delaware County District Attorney. And the current Delaware County District Attorney, G. Michael Green, contributed money to Meehan, which is why he referred the case to Corbett, whom Meehan had endorsed for governor.

And that's just scratching the surface. Basically, this thing would have to be kicked up to The Hague to get a truly impartial investigation. The bottom line is that people had their identities stolen. Their signatures were used without their permission to help put candidates on the ballot. This can be charged as a felony. Just ask David Murphy, the former Aston judge who pleaded guilty last summer.