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Governor Tom Corbett: “I was not the driving force behind the firing of Joe Paterno”
Last month, ESPN the Magazine published a scathing article critical of Governor Tom Corbett’s role in the firing of the late Joe Paterno last November. The iconic Penn State Head Coach was dismissed by the Penn State Board of Trustees, of which Governor Corbett is an ex-officio member, in the immediate aftermath of the Jerry Sandusky sex scandal.
Appearing on Radio PA’s “Ask the Governor” program Thursday, Governor Corbett made his most extensive comments on the article to date, calling it “sloppy journalism” and disputing several points, including a claim by ESPN that he refused numerous requests to respond to the article. Corbett says the magazine contacted his office on the eve of his European trade mission, but that he would have been happy to speak with them upon his return.
The ESPN article portrays Corbett the driving force behind the firing of Joe Paterno, a claim he flatly denies. Corbett told Radio PA that he played a minor role in the conference call the evening the decision was made to fire Paterno, primarily reminding the trustees to “remember the children.”
Newly-elected Penn State Board of Trustees member Anthony Lubrano has been critical of the governor based on the information in the ESPN article. He told WITF radio this week that he did believe the governor played a significant role in the dismissal of Paterno. Lubrano was elected to the 32-member board on a platform largely based on alumni outrage over the handling of Joe Paterno in the days after the Sandusky scandal rocked the university.
Governor Corbett says he plans to meet with Lubrano and other board members to further discuss the issue and he believes Lubrano’s opinion will change based on those talks.
Holocaust Commemoration: Never Forget and Never Again
Victims are being remembered, and survivors are being honored. Radio PA’s Matt Paul takes us inside the 2012 Civic Commemoration of the Holocaust. Holocaust Commemoration
Lawmaker: One Ridiculous Bill Deserves Another
The Women’s Right to Know Act would require Pennsylvania women seeking abortions to receive an ultrasound within 24-hours of the scheduled procedure. It’s sparked a new health care debate at the state capitol. Supporters say women deserve to be informed; critics call it a legislative overreach.
Philadelphia Democrat Larry Farnese has added a new twist to conversation by introducing a bill he calls similarly invasive and unnecessary. Senator Farnese’s bill deals with men seeking treatment for erectile dysfunction. “Men who seek to have this medication will have to watch a video enumerating the side effects of ED medication, they’ll have to undergo a cardiac stress test, we’ll have to make them undergo a prostate exam,” Farnese says.
Farnese says his point is that Republicans’ attack on women’s health care has to stop. “Whether it’s ultrasounds or erectile dysfunction medication, I think that we should stay out of people’s lives.”
Democrats seized on governor Tom Corbett’s comments about the ultrasound bill last week. Here’s the entire exchange with WGAL-TV reporter Matt Belanger during the governor’s media availability:ultrasound
While Corbett’s ‘close your eyes’ reference received national media attention, we asked Sen. Farnese about the last portion of those comments. Would it make any difference to him if provisions in the bill ensured a more traditional external ultrasound as opposed to a transvaginal procedure?
“It’s absolutely positively unnecessary, at least in my opinion, whether it’s internal or external,” Farnese replied.
House leaders tabled the ultrasound legislation (HB 1077) earlier this month, prior to both Corbett’s comments and Farnese’s bill.