A week after the Freeh commission released its report on Penn State University’s actions with regard to the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse case, Pennsylvania’s governor is now becoming a target for questions.
Gov. Tom Corbett was the state’s Attorney General when the investigation began, and some state lawmakers said they’ve wondered why it moved so slowly under his watch.
Former Gov. Ed Rendell, speaking on a Philadelphia radio talk show on Monday, asked why emails that were uncovered by the Freeh commission were missed by Corbett.
Rendell said those are legitimate questions, and added that Corbett should not get indignant when questioned about the case, adding, “When you run for public office, you have to understand that you are going to be questioned no matter what you do.”
Some people have suggested Corbett slowed the investigation, fearing its impact on his run for the governor’s office.
In February, Corbett told WJAC-TV News that he was stunned when the allegations against Sandusky first surfaced.
“When it was first brought to my attention it was just total shock,” said Corbett. I said, ‘My goodness. Well we got to follow it up. I have a reputation of somebody who’s gone after child predators for a long period of time.”
During that interview, Corbett strongly denied that the length of the investigation of the filing of charges was delayed so he could focus on his run for governor.
Corbett has defended the Attorney General’s investigation, saying it took longer to interview more victims and witnesses and they needed that added testimony because of Sandusky’s celebrity status.
After the report was released last week, Corbett issued the statement that, “There are monsters among us, people who will hurt children for their own sexual gratification. Every university, school, business and individual has an obligation to follow up and report such cases.”
