The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission was all praises in February 2009 when it appointed Anthony L. Maniscola the commission’s first Inspector General. The post was created when the state expanded the commission’s role as a revenue source for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

“Tony assumes this important position at a time of immense change at the Turnpike. We’ve been given a new mission and with it comes added accountability,” Turnpike CEO Joe Brimmeier said in a news release back then. “We are appropriately being held to the highest ethical standards.”

Maniscola, a career detective and investigator, was responsible to probe reports of theft, fraud and waste. He did his job well; Brimmeier now awaits trial, accused of bid rigging and trading political contributions for turnpike contracts.

Several turnpike executives were arrested along with Brimmeier including former turnpike Chairman Mitchell Rubin, former Chief Operating Officer George Hatalowich and former Pennsylvania state Sen. Robert Mellow, already in prison after conviction in an unrelated case. Six defendants in all face a Sept. 20 arraignment and lengthy criminal trial.

Recently retired, Maniscola says it wasn’t a clean sweep; there has been progress in rooting out corruption, he said in a recent interview, but plenty of corruption remains. Political influence, patronage and pay-to-play remain pervasive, he said, partly because the Turnpike Commission’s structure provides ample opportunity.

He said the four appointed commissioners treat the agency like their personal fiefdom. “Transparency? That’s the one thing the turnpike doesn’t want,” he said.

The fruit of Maniscola’s mission, and his gloomy outlook, suggest the Turnpike Commission is incapable of the highest ethical standards. Transparency is exactly what it needs.

Maniscola recommends placing the turnpike under PennDOT’s jurisdiction. Such a move would greatly reduce the opportunity and temptation for corrupt activities. Uniform standards for hiring, promotions, appointments and awarding of contracts would be a major step in the direction of transparency.

Folding the turnpike into PennDOT is a sensible action — and action is needed, assuming the retired inspector general’s assessment is accurate. Doing nothing is the same as admitting a corrupt Turnpike Commission is acceptable. And it is not.