Somebody better tell Pennsylvania Senate President Pro Tempore Bob Jubelirer he lost in the May primary because he's still raising money for his campaign war chest.

Now, I could understand this if the Friends of Bob Jubelirer, the Republican's political committee, ran up a debt while he lost to a political newcomer after apologizing to his constituents for being one of the primary pushers of last year's now-repealed legislative pay raise.

But Bob's campaign was $85,780 in the black after the primary, state records show.

So why did the once-politically astute Jubelirer hold a $500-a-head golf tournament/fundraiser at the Scotch Valley Country Club in Hollidaysburg on Monday - on the fifth anniversary of 9/11, of all days?

"I don't know that there was any particular thought given to it," Jubelirer press secretary David Atkinson told the Philadelphia Inquirer today. "It wasn't as though he was thinking there was anything disrespectful."

But Eric Epstein, coordinator of RockTheCapital.org, told the paper, "A golf tournament next door to where Flight 93 crashed is untimely, misguided, and ill-advised."

I might add that the very fact that a LAME DUCK legislator is still raising funds he doesn't need is disrespectful.

What nobody has asked so far is what will Bob be doing with the money he's raising since he no longer has to seek reelection?

Will he spend it on himself and his political cronies, I'm sorry I mean legislative aides, like House Speaker John Perzel?

Will he play kingmaker with it like Former Lt. Gov. William Scranton III?

Will he take trips to exotic warm locales this winter to ponder his political future?

All are perfectly legal "campaign expenses" under Pennsylvania election law, or should I say the lack of it.

An even bigger question is what are the folks who plunked down $500 each getting for their money during Jubelirer's final months in office?

Labels: Bob Jubelirer