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Gov. Corbett In Hot Seat Over Second Mile Grant

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Before he became governor, Tom Corbett served as the state Attorney General who initiated the investigation on former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.

Today, he had to explain why as governor he approved the grant to Second Mile even knowing Sandusky would probably be indicted.

"Yes I knew this but I could not act public on this without saying certain things that would have possibly compromised the investigation," Corbett said.

The grant had been initiated under Governor Ed Rendell but hadn't wended it way out of the legislature until last summer.

Corbett said by this time Sandusky had been removed from what had been a good organization serving disadvantaged kids.

"I already knew Mr. Sandusky had nothing to do with the Second Mile," he explained. "I believe that the purposes of the Second Mile were very good purposes in general.

"It doesn't pass the smell test," Pennsylvania Democratic Chairman Jim Burn said.

Burn noted that Corbett also accepted political contributions from the Second Mile board of directors totaling tens of thousands of dollars.

"It reeks of conflict and it makes the situation even more troubling," Burn said.

For his part, Corbett says he did not know when the indictments would come down and now that they have has rescinded the grant.

"We have to pull back that proposal," Corbett said.

RELATED LINKS
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VIDEO: Interim Coach Tom Bradley (11/10)
VIDEO: Joe Paterno Speaks After Firing (11/9)
VIDEO: Board of Trustees News Conference (11/9)
VIDEO: Watch The Attorney General's News Conference (11/7)
STORY: PSU's Tom Bradley: "It's An Unprecedented Situation That We Find Ourselves In"

WARNING Contains Graphic Material: Read The Entire Grand Jury Presentment
AG, PSP Commissioner Statements: Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
LINK: Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office
LINK: Penn State Nittany Lions

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