Corbett staying out of feud between Williams, Kane

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett won’t take sides in the feud between state Attorney General Kathleen Kane and Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams, who has pressed charges against three public officials ensnared in a sting operation that Kane abandoned.

“Obviously, there’s a prosecutor there that thinks there was enough evidence to warrant the prosecution. There’s a disagreement between two prosecutors right now, and you can always have disagreements like that,” he said on Radio Pennsylvania’s “Ask the Governor” program.

Corbett said, however, he was glad to see an investigation that began during his tenure as attorney general result in charges.

Williams has now charged three public officials caught up in the sting, which netted at least five public officials.  A Philadelphia grand jury continues to investigate the case.

Corbett also addressed the possibility Pennsylvania’s Republican-controlled Legislature would convene before Gov.-elect Tom Wolf, a Democrat, is sworn in Jan. 20.

While he has said he’s open to a session after lawmakers are sworn in Jan. 6 and before the new governor takes office, he doubts heavy-duty legislation could be passed in that two-week period.

Corbett does have unfinished business before the Legislature. His top priorities include privatizing the state’s liquor system and overhauling public pensions.

But he’s not trying to push for last-minute action on either.

“There’s no way – and I would strongly recommend against trying to do pension reform in that period of time — too complex an issue,” he said Wednesday.

“If you are going to do serious pension reform, then it’s going to take longer,” Corbett said.

The incoming GOP Senate Majority Leader has said complicated bills would be too hard to send to the governor’s desk before Wolf is sitting there.