Why's Pa. always being probed?

SERIOUSLY, what's with Pennsylvania?

Can there be another state with more investigations, or another state with more justification for same?

What? Could it be the water? A curse associated with disrupting Native American burial grounds? Something's afoot.

A report in the Inky that another member of our highest court, Democratic Supreme Court Justice Seamus McCaffery, is the subject of a federal probe is but the latest in a stream of suspected or proven public misdeeds.

The high court, a supposed symbol and provider of law and justice, is no virgin in this area.

It took heat for dragged feet on "Kids for Cash" and was tarnished in the Philly Family Court fiasco.

Its scales were tipped by the resignation of Republican Justice Joan Orie Melvin, convicted of campaign crimes, as they were when Democratic Justice Rolf Larsen was impeached in '94.

Now another honorable is under investigation, reportedly for big-buck legal-referral fees taken by his wife, who works for him and, therefore, for you.

Even if the justice and his missus did nothing more than creatively enhance their family income, their actions put a branch of government (once again) under bright lights of suspicion.

In Pennsylvania, such lights shine far and wide.

Need I remind you of Traffic Court, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, the Delaware River Port Authority or Penn State?

How about the eight - count 'em, eight - former legislative leaders now in prison?

Want the list and titles they held?

Republican House Speaker John Perzel; Democratic House Speaker Bill DeWeese; Republican Senate Whip Jane Orie; Democratic Senate Appropriations Chairman Vince Fumo; Republican House Appropriations Chairman Brett Feese; Democratic House Whip Mike Veon; Democratic House Policy Chairman Stephen Stetler; Democratic Senate Leader Bob Mellow.

Technically, even the executive branch doesn't get a pass.

Republican Gov. Corbett is under investigation by Democratic Attorney General Kathleen Kane (although she calls it a "review") for his handling of the Jerry Sandusky case.

So, what's with our state?

I have ideas:

* The seat of government is in a small media market and gets little statewide attention. As such, government gets away with more stuff than it should.

* Our political culture encourages corruption.

* We allow unlimited campaign contributions (only 10 other states are as loose), which feeds greed.

* We're among the worst gerrymandered states in America, which keeps the greedy in office.

* And we're among states where it's harder to vote. Other states have multiple voting days, no-excuse absentee voting, drop-off voting and easier ballot access for third-party candidates. We require five to 10 times the number of signatures, depending on the office, for candidates not running as Republican or Democrat.

* Also, we elect judges at all levels. Only five other states do that. This means unlimited money for judicial campaigns from lawyers and law firms whose cases then go before the very judges their money put in office.

This creates the need for judicial candidates to raise cash and, subsequently, too-cozy relationships with those providing it.

* Maybe numbers matter. We have 2,500-plus municipalities, 1,000 judges, 500 school districts, 67 counties and the nation's largest full-time legislature. Could be that too many public servants raise the odds for bad behavior.

* Finally, we don't seem to care, especially about government at the state level.

Despite being the cradle of American democracy, the keystone of colonies, the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence, we're apathetic.

In the 2008 election, which drew intense interest because of the candidacy of Barack Obama, 25 other states had higher voter turnout. iIn 2012, same thing.

And in 2010, in an election featuring an open governor's seat and contested midterm congressional races, our turnout was 41 percent.

Thirty-two states did better.

The only thing we seem to do better is to provide full employment for prosecutors and defense attorneys.

So, welcome to Pennsylvania, The Land of Ongoing Investigations.