New Pa. Governor Promises Firmer Oversight In Abortion Arena
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) - Tom Corbett, Pennsylvania's newly sworn-in governor, promises changes in any departments that looked the other way when West Philadelphia abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell allegedly butchered a patient and seven infants.
The 260-page grand jury report contained not only page after page of grisly charges against Dr. Gosnell but scathing remarks from members of the grand jury in a section they entitled, "See No Evil."
The Pennsylvania Department of State, which oversees individual physicians, and the state Health Department, the first line of defense, were repeatedly confronted with evidence about Gosnell and repeatedly chose to do nothing, according to the grand jury.
The grand jury found, for example, that the Department of Health abruptly decided in 1993, for political reasons, to stop inspecting abortion clinics (see related story).
Kevin Harley, a spokesman for Governor Corbett, said on Thursday, "I can tell you that under the Corbett administration the inspectors in the Department of Health will follow all laws and regulations."
Philadelphia district attorney Seth Williams said that while grand jurors were disturbed with what they termed "bureaucratic inertia," no state worker conduct rose to a level where they could be held criminally liable.
Reported by Steve Tawa, KYW Newsradio 1060.
