Corbett not convinced racy emails from his time in AG office exist

With a judge considering whether to release allegedly inappropriate e-mails circulated by employees in Pennsylvania’s attorney general office, Gov. Tom Corbett — and formerly attorney general — said he’s still not positive the emails exist as they’ve been described.

“I don’t know that they existed, and until they are presented to me, it’s kind of unfair to really comment on them,” said Corbett during an interview on Radio PA’s Ask the Governor program. “I know it’s part of the sport of Harrisburg, where everybody wants to comment on the latest rumor, but you know me by now. I don’t do that, because, show me the facts.”

Vulgar emails and links to sexually explicit images were allegedly exchanged by top employees of the state attorney general’s office during Corbett’s tenure there. The emails were uncovered during Attorney General Kathleen Kane’s investigation of the handling of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse case.

“If someone had sent them to me, there would have been all kind of Hades to pay for, and it would have been stopped right away,” said Corbett, reiterating comments he’s made in the past that he had no knowledge of the e-mails while he was attorney general.

A Cambria County judge overseeing a state grand jury blocked requests from newspapers to see the e-mails. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has reported that if the freeze is lifted, Kane will have the final say over whether to release the e-mails.