Nothing to fear, Gov. Corbett?

By Dick Miller

WE CONNECT THE DOTS: In 2008 a horrific scandal unfolded in Luzerne County. Some 4,000 cases involving juveniles incarcerated for their alleged crimes were overturned. Two judges were sentenced in 2011 to 28 years and 17.5 years for taking millions in kickbacks from the owners of private juvenile detention facilities housing these children. Many juveniles got stiff detention sentences without benefit of counsel.

In this case, the two elected county judges swapped the power of their office for cash.

Given the preceding, could another elected law enforcement official slow walk an investigation of a child molester to avoid interference with his campaign for PA Governor?

Political campaign aside, could then PA Attorney General Tom Corbett have gotten former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky off the streets months or even years sooner? A Centre County jury convicted Sandusky earlier this year on 45 counts of sexual assault of ten children over the past 15 years.

While Attorney General and running for Governor, Corbett had only two investigators on the Sandusky case. At the same time he had 25 investigators assigned to the high profile prosecution of corrupt lawmakers and House staff members. Following his election to Governor and handpicking Linda Kelly as his A-G replacement, staffing on the Sandusky probe was boosted by another half-dozen probers.

Other facts point to Corbett putting politics ahead of protecting children.

The board of directors of Second Mile, a charity for young boys that employed Sandusky, donated over $600,000 collectively to Corbett’s campaign for governor. As Governor, Corbett personally approved a $3 million grant to Second Mile, an okay later withdrawn.

Corbett admits that he used his position with the Penn State Board of Trustees to influence the firing of renowned football coach Joe Paterno. A Corbett cabinet member, Ronald J. Tomalis, served as vice chairman of the Trustees’ Special Investigation Task Force. This group appointed a law firm headed by former FBI director Louis J. Freeh to investigate Penn State’s involvement in the scandal.

After 234 days and fees of $6.5 million, the Freeh group, on July 12, 2012, issued a report that held Paterno and PSU President Graham Spanier mostly accountable for allowing Sandusky to prey on young boys. Paterno died midway through the investigation, but was never interviewed by Freeh’s people. Spanier was interviewed just five days before the release of the final report.

Last week minority state House Democrat legislators floated a resolution requesting the U.S. Attorney’s office determine if the Sandusky investigation was delayed for political reasons.

A law enforcement officer delaying an investigation is not a crime. An investigation by one prosecutor office of the conduct of another will have little creditability, given the revolving employment door among these agencies.

Corbett has every reason to believe he has the scandal contained. In two statewide campaigns for attorney general and one for governor, he has yet to face a Democrat opponent who can walk and chew gum.

On the other hand, his approval ratings are in the toilet. He must present two more budgets and deal with the pension crisis before running for re-election in 2014. Does Corbett really want to take on 200,000 angry Penn State alumni in that campaign?

Cooperate now, Gov. Corbett, and clear the decks in 2014 for important campaign issues.

How many times has Tom “White Hat” Corbett, in his role as fearless prosecutor, confronted a person of interest? How many times did he say “If you are innocent, you have nothing to fear?”