Onorato goes after Corbett’s jobs comment

Democrat running for Governor says his Republican opponent is “out of touch” if he thinks people are turning down jobs to keep getting unemployment benefits.

Unemployment is becoming a hot issue in the Pennsylvania governor’s race. Democrat Dan Onorato is pouncing on Republican Tom Corbett’s recent comments about unemployed workers who are turning down job offers.

During a campaign appearance in Lancaster County on Friday, Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett said “the jobs are there,” but many workers are passing up opportunities in order to keep collecting unemployment benefits.

Corbett, who is also running for governor as a Republican, says that’s what he’s been hearing from business owners across the state.

Democratic nominee Dan Onorato says Corbett is out of touch.

“To somehow turn this and put the blame on them, as though they don’t want a job because there might be an unemployment check out there. Well then you either have never known anybody who was unemployed, or you’re just naïve to the situation. Or you just don’t care.”

Corbett’s statement is similar to comments made by Republican lawmakers in Washington, DC who are opposing an extension of federal unemployment benefits.

Still, the Attorney General is now trying to walk the comments back.

According to Capitolwire.com, Corbett said during a Monday campaign appearance that he was just relaying anecdotal information.

He says Pennsylvania needs to lower its 9.1 percent unemployment rate.