Print

Corbett: Life in the fishbowl

Published by Karen Langley on .

A day after taking heat for a video-taped remark that suggested he could not find Latinos to work for him, Gov. Tom Corbett told a business group it isn't easy living in the spotlight.

"There are a lot of good things about being governor, and there are some tough things about being governor, as you can well imagine," Corbett told an annual breakfast of the Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce and Capital Region Economic Development Corporation. "You kind of live in a fishbowl. Everything you say is just about recorded. Everybody parses it. Everybody takes it -- people can take it out of context, the opponents like to take it out of context."

It was the continuation of a notably vigorous response from the governor, whose office yesterday evening put out a statement saying Corbett's response to a question about about Latino staff members referred only to his immediate aides. The administration as a whole has nearly 1,500 Latino employees, and the governor has nominated at least three Latinos to leadership posts, the office said.

The remark -- exacerbated when Corbett added "If you can find one, please let me know" -- came a few weeks after the governor, during a recorded discussion about jobs and the Marcellus Shale industry, said employers reported difficulty finding workers who could pass a drug test.

Even as the governor criticized opponents for how they portray his remarks, he seemed particularly aware of the risk he could give them new opportunities At one point, while talking about the need to focus on educating students in science and technology, he said: "Because as I'm told, if you're an engineer, you're not out of work, and you're going to be able to find work."

Who knows if an image of Democrats' favorite new unemployed engineer flashed through his head, but he quickly followed up: "I'm sure there are some out, so those of you in the media, if you're here, I'm sure there are some out." 

Near the end, Corbett urged voters to focus on his actions.

"When people are going to judge me, when it comes to Election Day and they judge me, I truly hope they judge me on what we have done, what we have performed, what we have completed, what promises we have kept, and not how sometimes they want to twist and reinterpret the words that I say.

"Actions, not words," he concluded. 

Join the conversation:

Print

Metcalfe goes after anti-Corbett group

Published by Kate Giammarise on .

State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Cranberry, says he will convene a House State Government Committee hearing next month to see if a group running ads attacking Gov. Tom Corbett is violating state elections law by not disclosing its contributors.
 
"Based on their activity, they've certainly been working to try to influence the outcome of an election...I think it's clear in the law, that if somebody is going to make expenditures and try to influence the outcome of an election, as they have done, then they need to report that," he said, speaking to a group of reporters in the capitol newsroom Thursday afternoon.

Continue Reading

Join the conversation:

Print

Harris went Indy on deadline

Published by Tim McNulty on .

Darlene Harris

Will 422 be Darlene Harris's lucky number?

Allegheny County voter registration records confirm the Pittsburgh City Council president changed her registration to independent on April 22, preserving her ability to run against Democrat Bill Peduto in the November mayor's race. The documentation was officially stamped at 4:22 p.m. that day, just 38 minutes before the party-switching deadline.

Mrs. Harris confirmed the party switch to the Post-Gazette yesterday but would not elaborate on her political intentions.

She was previously a Democrat. State law requires independent general election candidates to be disaffiliated with their parties at least 30 days before the primary. Since the 30-day deadline was Saturday, April 20, she had until April 22 to make the switch.

She has until Aug. 1 to make a decision. To get on the ballot she would need 485 petition signatures from registered city voters -- that total equals 2 percent of the votes cast in the last citywide election for controller in 2011.

No other Democratic names previously associated with the mayor's race -- including Controller Michael Lamb, state Sen. Jim Ferlo or city councilman Ricky Burgess -- switched their registration, according to the records.

Join the conversation:

Print

Burger Brunch: Five stories to read this afternoon

Published by Andrew McGill on .

1. O'Toole and Smydo pick apart Peduto's campaign, analyzing his sucess and quoting the candidate in between mouthfuls of victory Doritos. (For more policy, see Moriah's story.) And the spectre has been raised: Will Darlene Harris run as an independent?

2. For that matter, no one knows what Jack Wagner's plans are, though he's barred from running in November as an independent.

3. Gov. Tom Corbett has no Latino staff members, but heck, if you can find one, let him know! Giess what: That is an actual quote. Karen Langley has the story on his non-apology. (My favorite bit: "When the woman responded that she was 'sure' there were Latinos, Mr. Corbett turned, apparently toward an audience, and asked: 'Do any one of you want to come to Harrisburg?' People off-camera laughed, and the governor raised his hands and said,'See?'")

4. Pittsburgh inches up an itty-bitty bit in population.

5.  And Rob Rogers closes out the day:

Join the conversation:

More Articles...