The week didn’t start well for Governor Corbett, but it certainly ended well.
Brad Bumsted of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review revealed early this morning that the Attorney General’s report on Governor Corbett’s conduct during the Sandusky case clears him of any wrongdoing or efforts to slow the investigation.
Attorney General Kathleen Kane made looking into Corbett’s possible political motivations a major part of her campaign in 2012.
“There’s nothing in the available document record or witness interviews to support that Attorney General Corbett or anyone else in the OAG executive office at this time gave any instructions on how to conduct the investigation,” the report concludes according to an excerpt provided to the Tribune-Review.
The infamous Sandusky scandal involved the sexual abuse of several victims over a period of years by former Penn State Defensive Coordinator Jerry Sandusky. The scandal cost long-time PSU Head Coach Joe Paterno his job as well as causing the firing of the university’s President, Vice President and Athletic Director.
The allegation made by Democrats was that Corbett deliberately slow-walked the investigation to avoid angering PSU alumni (the firing of Paterno is still a very controversial decision among citizens of the commonwealth).
“Kane’s report does not use accusatory language regarding Corbett’s actions,” Bumsted wrote in summing up the report. “Completed but awaiting release in a few weeks, it is far less critical than Corbett’s supporters expected; they call it a ‘vindication.’ Others think it outlines failed leadership from top to bottom.”
According to Bumsted, the only major issue the report takes with the investigation is that it took too long to search Sandusky’s home.
This news will surely come as a relief to the Corbett campaign as Kane’s report threatened to hang like the sword of Damocles over their heads during the general election.
Overall, it appears the Sandusky scandal may have very little effect on the campaign. In a Quinnipiac poll this week only 1% of those that disapprove of Corbett’s job performance cited “Penn State Issues”. Instead, expect the general election campaign to focus on the candidates and the issues of the economy and education.
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35 Responses
Seems like someone from the Corbett/Acting governor Brabender/PAGOP team is very upset. These comments perfectly illustrate why donors should just say NO to the Corbett/Brabender and defund the Gleason PAGOP!!!
Dear Sue,Scotty and Jay of the PATERNO Family: Do you agree with Tom Corbett’s canonization?? Please pray to saint Tom Corbett when you say your bedtime prayers!
Penn State nation: ray Gricar is missing, the second mile FoundAtion could take your money to the bitter end+in 2011, got a multi-million dollar grant from Saint Tom Corbett and joe Paterno rots in hell! And Saint Corbett is canonized for bringing justice to our state and Happy Valley!!! Holy Mother of god and Saint Thomas Corbett pray for us and forgive our Harrisburg sins!
Davey, I read both. Guzzardi, She did politicize it by investigating nothing. That is what is known as a witch hunt or a Kane hunt. Same thing.
Dear Mr. Bumsted: since you’ve been so gracious to leak the Corbett-Sandusky report to us, can you find out what advice, our Acting Governor Brabender and Baby Brian Nutt offered on the Sandusky-second Mile -Foundation-Gricar matter!
Corbett was crappy at his job then, just as he is now.
Fortunately, he won’t have his current job much longer.
Larry, there may be a precedent, or maybe not, but the point is, if Corbett in fact deliberately failed to issue indictments for political or financial purposes, and if Kane is aware of that, she will indict him. The jury is still out.
Corbett is presumed innocent unless and until he is charged and convicted or pleads guilty, but for the time being, there is a cloud over his head.
Chris, point to a single prosecutor who has ever been charged with obstruction of justice for stopping or slowing an investigation. Bet you can’t do it.
Larry, you don’t know what you’re talking about. Stop humiliating yourself in public. Corbett definitely could be liable under the aforementioned circumstances. If Kane does the right thing, she will acknowledge same.
The cynical side of me says Kane wants Corbett to be re-elected so she can run in 2018, just like Chrstie wanted Obama to win so he could run for Prez in 2016.
Chris, no prosecutor can be charged for stopping, slowing, or changing the course of an investigation. The prosecutor has complete discretion. Also, “charges” are different than “indictments.” In PA, we have investigating grand juries, but (for the most part) not indicting grand juries. Do a little research before spouting opinions that are clearly wrong.
Larry, anyone with a law degree would know that if Corbett stopped an investigation, he will be charged with obstruction of justice, hindering an investigation, and maybe conspiracy and other stuff. Also, charges can be made in state court and have been.
Chris, (1) anyone with a law degree knew from day one that there is no crime that can be charged against Corbett, even if he blatantly stopped an investigation for political purposes, and (2) we generally do not have indictments in state court.
Nobody’s been cleared of anything just yet. If Corbett did something wrong when he was att general, he will be indicted over the summer. Too bad Kathie McGlinty wasn’t att general in 2012. She would make him pay.
Dear Mr. Brad Bumsted: will someone expose and investigate the extreme conflict of interests that the Corbett-Brabender Administration has in its dealings in the UPMC-Highmark disputes!!! Let’s really put Patients First and not the Republican consulting class!
We are dealing with a leaked report that one or two journalists may be privy to or someone’s interpretation of the report-but I’m willing to play the game! Since Tom Corbett is Catholic, why don’t we get him canonized based upon the leaked report! Saint Tom Corbett patron saint of sex abuse victims and lost DA’s pray for us. He can does cures by a laying of hands! Acting governor Brabender- suggest you run the campaign on saint Corbett’s fine work in the Sandusky investigation, the second Mile foundation investigation and the hunt for Gricar!!! Pray for our budget shortfall Saint Corbett!!!
There’s a difference between “getting off a charge” and whether someone is or is not guilty. Since there was an investigation and it made a conclusion, that will be the end of it.
Everyone is grateful that Sandusky is no longer harming anyone and that his sick behavior was discovered so that the victims may begin to heal.
Real justice must be living in the minds of all the people who may come in contact with this evil in the future. Let’s hope they remember Sandusky’s legacy at Penn State.
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I have to admit that, happily, I was wrong: contrary to my suspicions, Tom Corbett did not politicize the Sandusky investigation.
A Democratic AG, likewise, has not politicized the review.
It seems we can have confidence in Pennsylvania law enforcement. Reassuring
I’m no Corbett fan. I voted for Onorato, and argued that attorneys general should resign before seeking other offices. But the report, by someone who certainly is not a Corbett booster, clears him of criminal misconduct. When are you scumbags who pilloried him as a crook going to apologize? I think his handling of the Sandusky matter was slipshod and took too long, but that isn’t criminal — and you accused a good man of criminal conduct, and now, for your own petty political ends, you refuse to admit you were wrong. Shameful.
How sad. Even Politics PA has trolls sitting in their parent’s basements responding to reporting on this site.
Dear Mr.Brad Bumsted: As far as speaking about unseemingly behavior what all the money members of the Corbett/Acting Governor Brabender have earned from the UPMC-HIGHMARK wars?? I was SHOCKED to read today an article by your colleague Mr. Fabregas, canonizing Mr. Romoff, Tom Corbett’s marriage partner, a very unproductive relationship for Corbett’s re-election prospects. Maybe your colleague is spending too much time with Jeff’s highly paid daughter? He certainly is an apologist for the UPMC system. FYI: ” As required by the IRS, UPMC also disclosed several transactions between employees and relatives, including Romoff’s daughter, Rebecca Kaul. Kaul received $431,594 in compensation for the 12-month period ending June 30 2012, according to the IRS filing.” But quite frankly, if Jeff Romoff and his daughter Ms. Kaul want to bring their talents to the VA, it would be great for patient care in Pittsburgh. PATIENT’S FIRST: Tom Corbett, Acting Governor Brabender and Ms. Leslie Gromis-Baker!! : Fábregas: UPMC ace Romoff could replace Shinseki at VA | TribLIVE
http://triblive.com/opinion/luisfabregas/6234286-74/veterans-romoff-shinse
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PAINDY1-
I’m sure you know more about being a sexual predator. (Though you seem to have more of a fascination with necrophilia, which probably reduces witness testimony against you.)
bungy-
You read what? The article or the actual report?
Dear Mr. Bumsted: Let’s give Tom Corbett a pass?? I am starting to think you’ve spent too many years in the Harrisburg hot tub with Brabender and Baby Brian Nutt: Let’s give Corbett the benefit of the doubt. He has a track record of being an honest man. Still, why would Corbett take the gifts? He is a former state and federal prosecutor. He actually took $28,424 in gifts but the complaint filers discounted $10,000 or so because there was no tie to state government.
Why take gifts, such as World Series shirts worth $200 each, transportation, dinners, a Broadway show, premium tickets to the Philadelphia Academy of Music, Phillies tickets and a free yacht vacation?
Read more: http://triblive.com/opinion/bradbumsted/6235011-74/corbett-gifts-state#ixzz345ztjeDZ
Follow us: @triblive on Twitter | triblive on Facebook
Freeh had the guts to have a real press conference. Leaking this important matter through Brad Bumsted is down right irresponsible and another slap in the face by the Corbett/Brabender team to real voters and the entire PSU family. Well there remains a few open questions: 1. why was the search for Gricar so tepid? 2. The Second Mile leadership was allowed to fleece from donors and even obtain a state grant for the Charity at which the majority of Sandusky’s misdeeds occurred? Why was the Second Mile receive a live-saving Mulligan and a multi-million dollar state grant in 2011? Here is the Freeh press conference: http://youtu.be/g_afZMa5HlA
Corbett’s problem was that while he was the sitting AG he was also on the board of trustees at PSU. He had to tread very carefully to avoid a conflict of interest on either side.
Joe PA’s silence led to the abuse of lots of youngsters, and so did Corbett’s dragging his feet when he could have charged Sandusky a long time ago.
Maybe if Kathie McGlinty ran for att general instead of governor, it would have brought different outcome.
Davey, I did read it.
Surprising, NOT! Corbett did what he was supposed to do. Those of you who think he purposely slowed down the case for his own political game are hysterical. I’m sure you won’t be satisfied by the Democratic Attorney General releasing her report stating he did everything on the up and up. That is because you hate our Governor. In the end, Kane wasted tax payer money with her political witch hunt.
Many of the Penn State fans I’ve talked to blame Corbett more than any other individual for the Sandusky matter getting so out of control. And get ready for the Wolf ads mentioning that Corbett accepted $25,000 in political contributions from Sandusky’s “charity” at the very same time he was conducting his “investigation” of Sandusky. No one needs an explanation of what that fact clearly suggests.
bungy-
1) The report isn’t out, so no one can read it yet.
2) The description indicates that there is plenty of ammunition for his overall incompetence.
3) The voters have already decided education is the issue, and Corbett’s got terrible numbers.
4) It sounds like the report is going to be released shortly before 4th of July, when nobody is paying attention, so no one will know about it.
5) Seth’s not going anywhere, as he’s stuck with that damaged corruption case.
Davey, read report, complete vindication for Corbett and the best prosecution team in the state. This crew put Corbett. in the Governor’s mansion. They will next help elect DEMOCRAT DA SETH WILLIAMS to higher office. Maybe even AG.
If Kathy McGlinty was attorney general he probably would be charged.
From the description, it sounds like:
1) Corbett is not accused of “deliberately” slowing down the investigation as a favor to Sandusky or Paterno.
2) Corbett clearly mishandled the matter by his poor choice of using the state grand jury, which was the slowest choice he could have made. That’s almost as bad as deliberately tanking the investigation.
3) Corbett put a lot more effort into his political prosecutions.
4) He did not assign proper investigators or resources at the beginning.
It’s a shame that Corbett’s complete dereliction of duty isn’t considered a crime, because it allowed Sandusky more time to harm young boys.
BTW, with the description of the report as very dry and fact-based, I wonder if any of Kane’s detractors will cut back on calling everything she does “political”. Because, she could certainly take the same facts and write a report that is all spin.
Corbett is done in the Fall anyway.
He’s done because, as Governor, he showed an even higher level of incompetence and politicization than he did as A.G.
“There’s nothing in the available document record or witness interviews to support that Attorney General Corbett or anyone else in the OAG executive office at this time gave any instructions on how to conduct the investigation,”
Translation: Corbett did absolutely nothing. Therefore, it was impossible for him to do anything wrong.
not vindicated in my eyes and I am a registered Republican….bet they still believe in the Easter bunny and Santa Claus….