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Corbett Wants Commonwealth Judge To Reconsider Voter ID Knockdown

By Tony Romeo

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- Governor Corbett says he's keeping his options open regarding future legal action in the wake of a judge's ruling that Pennsylvania's voter ID law is unconstitutional (see related story).

In the meantime, he will ask the judge to reconsider the decision.

Corbett says he has several available options regarding the ruling by the Commonwealth Court judge on the voter ID requirement: he can ask for a hearing before the entire Commonwealth Court, or he can appeal to the state Supreme Court.

But for now, the governor says, he will simply ask the Commonwealth Court judge who struck it down to reconsider his ruling -- something Corbett describes as a common procedural move.

"Lawyers can disagree on everything," Corbett said today.  "I view that the law was constitutional.  I view that it can be implemented constitutionally. The judge made a finding 'no.'  We'll see if he will reconsider it.  If he doesn't, then we'll consider whether we should take it up on appeal."

On Monday, Pennsylvania attorney general Kathleen Kane, who opposes the voter ID law, released a statement saying the decision to appeal the voter ID ruling rests solely with the governor and the secretary of the commonwealth.

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