Corbett Approved Grant for Sandusky Charity--$3 M Ok'd Despite Abuse Investigation

[blue neen]

"Gov. Tom Corbett this summer approved a $3 million state grant to The Second Mile, the charity founded by suspected child molester Jerry Sandusky, despite knowing about the sex abuse investigation that later resulted in charges against Mr. Sandusky."

"The grant is now on hold, said Mr. Corbett's spokesman, Eric Shirk."

<snip>

"The Office of the Budget has completed its review of The Second Mile Learning Center project and I am pleased to inform you that Governor Corbett has approved the Commonwealth's commitment of $3,000,000 in RACP funding for this project," he wrote in a July 20 letter to Jack Raykovitz, Second Mile CEO until he resigned Monday."

So, Tom Corbett approved funding for the pedophile's foundation, but cut funding to school districts all across the state. There have been massive teacher layoffs, hurting education in every way, but there was enough money for Jerry Sandusky.

I'm furious.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11320/1190145-455.stm#ixzz1dsdvCj34

[bullwinkle428]

1. Disgusting. How deep does this Republican corruption run in PA?

Oh, and K&R.

[blue neen]

2. Some of the results of Corbett's budget cuts on schools:

"There will be larger class sizes and fewer middle and elementary school foreign language classes, high school business and consumer science courses and elementary music programs throughout the region if the preliminary budgets approved by school boards in the wake of proposed state budget cuts become final."

<snip>

"Kindergarten programs have been cut from full- to half-day in districts such as Highlands and East Allegheny because of the loss of state accountability block grant funding. Other districts are making cuts elsewhere to keep their full-day programs.

<snip>

"The Duquesne City School District could see its teaching staff reduced from 51 to 29, much of its administrative staff cut and all of its extracurricular activities eliminated if a significant amount of the $4 million cut from its budget is not restored."

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11167/1153821-55.stm

There's no money for teachers, full-day kindergarten, elementary music, and foreign language classes.

Yet, there was money for Jerry Sandusky.

[Township75]

3. What does that make previous Dem govnr Ed Rendell

from the article:

"According to correspondence from Mr. Corbett's budget secretary, Charles B. Zogby, the $3 million was first budgeted by the Legislature in 2010 and approved for release by former Gov. Ed Rendell a year ago."

Ed has played a big role in the Democratic party...are we going to turn our back on him?

[blue neen]

4. Tom Corbett, as Attorney General, knew this abuse was going on since 2009.

Tom Corbett is the governor who made Draconian budget cuts, while letting Marcellus Shale drillers get away with paying no taxes (the only state in the union where this is the case).

Before Ed Rendell left office, he tried to get the legislature to pass the taxes on the drillers...he got no cooperation:

"HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - October 21, 2010 -- A proposed tax on natural gas extraction in Pennsylvania "clearly is dead" for the year, Gov. Ed Rendell said Thursday, suspending at least temporarily what has been the state Capitol's most hotly contested debate."

"The Democratic governor issued a news release that blamed legislative Republicans for what he described as a refusal to negotiate in good faith."

"Their clear unwillingness to change their previous proposal or to resolve differences with the House Democrats and with my administration makes it obvious that they have killed the severance tax in this legislative session," Rendell said."

"He said the failure to enact a tax on drilling in the Marcellus Shale formation will harm the environment, make it harder for local governments to deal with the impact of drilling and cause the state government financial problems."

"Pennsylvania is the only state with significant natural gas production that does not tax it."

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/politics&id=7737893

BTW, Tom Corbett is the one who okayed this grant--this summer--knowing full well what was going on in the investigations against Jerry Sandusky.

[Township75]

5. My concern is that he was following through on what Ed Rendell approved for release

Corbett did know about investigations against Jerry Sandusky, but that is different than investigations against The Second Mile.

Also, usually investigators are not allowed to reveal the content of ongoing investigations....Corbett may have had to give a reason why he was going to stop Rendell's approval.

Corbett may have an out in this...Rendell...I don't know. I just dont know.

[blue neen]

8. No, Corbett does not have an out in this.

I'm not buying what you are trying to sell.

[Township75]

9. How do you know he doesn't have an out in this?

I haven't seen any article or report stating that.

He may get out of this, and Rendell may get some heat, though he is out of the spotlight so likely he will be fine.

[Eddie Haskell]

6. As A.G., Corbett only had one investigator on the case.

Now there are seven. Corbett must go.

[JPZenger]

7. Corbett was responsible for investigating Sandusky since March 2009

The full responsibility for investigating Sandusky was given to Corbett in March 2009, because the County District Attorney said he had a conflict of interest. It took Corbett's office 2.5 years to search Sandusky's House. Most of the witnesses were not even questioned until after a NEW attorney general took office in January 2011.

[Initech]

10. Seriously - how fucking corrupt is Second Mile????