Corbett defends role in Sandusky probe

TACONY - November 16, 2011

Governor Corbett was the state's top lawman when the Jerry Sandusky investigation was handed over to his office more than two years ago.

Now, some are asking, as Attorney General, could he have acted faster to get Sandusky off the streets?

Corbett says they couldn't arrest Sandusky immediately because it takes time to build a case.

But, I asked, short of an arrest, was there anything he could have done to protect children from Sandusky?

"I can't comment on that. I didn't say there was nothing I could have done. I can't answer that question," he said.

Corbett and the rest of the Penn State trustees fired Joe Paterno and University President Graham Spanier for not doing enough.

I asked Corbett if he now feels like he did enough.

"I believe the office of the Attorney General did everything we could to move this case along as quickly as we could with the resources available," he told me.

Corbett says he can't comment on reports that only one investigator was assigned to the Sandusky case while he was Attorney General.

Corbett's support for Sandusky's charity, The Second Mile, is also being questioned.

Last summer, while he was well aware of the investigation, Corbett signed off on a $3 million grant for Second Mile.

Corbett now says blocking the grant could have exposed the investigation.

Action News has learned that current and past members of the charity's board contributed over $200,000 to Corbett's campaign for governor.

Corbett says he'd like to elaborate on many of the questions swirling around the case, but can't as long as the investigation is active.

"We did what I believe was the best job we could do," he said.

Corbett says he hopes no other children were abused over the past few years during the course of the investigation. But that remains to be seen as more possible victims come forward.

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