Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell (D) can’t decide what to do with the pesky $38,000 in donations he’s received from Norman Hsu, as you know, a fugitive wanted for grand theft (and now a fugitive again).

Disgraced Democratic fund-raiser Norman Hsu, who was wanted by California authorities for the last 15 years, is once again on the lam, putting Gov. Rendell, a staunch supporter, in an increasingly awkward political corner.

And for now, Rendell isn’t saying whether he will reverse his decision and return nearly $38,000 in contributions from Hsu or continue to stand by the man he recently called “one of the best 10 people I’ve met.”

Press secretary Chuck Ardo said the governor had no immediate comment on Hsu’s disappearance.

“The governor will respond to today’s events after having time to review them,” Ardo said, adding only that Rendell likely would address the matter sometime today.

Hsu, who had raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for top Democratic candidates nationwide, including presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, failed to appear yesterday morning at a bail-reduction hearing in a California courtroom.

San Mateo Superior Court Judge Robert Foiles ordered Hsu’s $2 million bail forfeited and issued a new arrest warrant. If Hsu is arrested again, he will be jailed without bail.

Hsu pleaded no contest in 1991 to a felony count of grand theft, admitting he had defrauded investors of $1 million after falsely claiming to have contracts to purchase and sell latex gloves. He was facing up to three years in prison when he skipped town before his 1992 sentencing date.

For the time being, Rendell remains one of the few politicians across the nation who have decided to keep campaign contributions from Hsu.

“one of the best 10 people I’ve met”. That says a lot about the people he’s met. Michelle points to what Rendell said last week regarding Hsu:

“I want to hear him out; I don’t want to be one of the guys to pile on,” Rendell said last Thursday.

“Norman Hsu’s one of the best 10 people I’ve met. He raised money for me because he believes in all the things we’re doing and he never asked for a bloody thing – not a job, not a contract, not to attend a wedding.”

The next day, the governor said: “I think this whole thing stinks. If this conviction stands I will give the money back, but this idea of making him out to be some sort of major criminal is absurd.”

Nah, originally being charged with grand theft, facing 3 years in prison, then being on the run for 15 years, and potentially paying people to get around FEC limits (and FEC violation)? Man, that’s like a parking ticket. I mean who hasn’t had a bench warrant issued for their arrest for a decade and a half with an order to be held on $2 million bail?

You can contact Rendell here. Michelle has the top questions that need to be asked in this scandal:

10. Where did Hsu’s money come from?
9. Where did Hsu’s money come from?
8. Where did Hsu’s money come from?
7. Where did Hsu’s money come from?
6. Where did Hsu’s money come from?
5. Where did Hsu’s money come from?
4. Where did Hsu’s money come from?
3. Where did Hsu’s money come from?
2. Where did Hsu’s money come from?

And 1….

Where did Hsu’s money come from?

And finally, Flip took a stroll over to Hsu’s very publicly listed address. Anyone, including California authorities, with access to Google could’ve found them all of these year – for about $4 round-trip.