The Rendell Administration paid a Philadelphia firm $125,000 to spy on citizen activists and critics of Rendell's policies. Should that surprise anyone?

A Philadelphia newspaper reported about the questionable activities of The Institute of Terrorism Research and Response in July, but Rendell pulled the old Sgt. Schultz defense: I know nothing!

Rendell said at a news conference Tuesday he didn't know what kind of reports the Philly terrorism watchdog group was providing to his administration.

However, if you read some of the articles below, it appears Rendell's top aides were receiving information about citizen activists and administration critics all along. They had to know that the information they were buying (with taxpayer dollars) was bogus.

Did they not tell their boss? What was the point of the spying?

Just the latest example of the culture of corruption and fiscal mismanagement surrounding the Rendell Administration.

From The Harrisburg Patriot-News: Gov. Ed Rendell's top staffers knew of Homeland Security tracking protesters in July

Also in The Patriot-News: State tracks anti-Marcellus Shale drilling groups, notifies law enforcement and Rendell ends tracking of opponents of natural gas drilling

From The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Lawsuit planned after protesters put on terror list

From The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Philadelphia firm wrongly targeted activists

From The Philadelphia Inquirer: Rendell 'appalled' by state's tracking of activists