HARRISBURG – Out of a job for only two weeks, former State Sen. Joe Conti today will be named chief executive officer of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, a newly created $150,000-a-year post with the nation’s largest buyer of wine and spirits. The Rendell administration pushed the appointment of the Bucks County Republican, calling him perfect for the job. Yet the news was immediately met with outrage by the LCB chairman.”This is not transparency in public government,” said Jonathan Newman, adding that he learned of Conti’s hiring when Rendell’s office gave him a job description for the new position at 3 p.m. yesterday.

“I’m very disappointed and very concerned that this is what government comes down to.”

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