Gov. Corbett Says Accepting Free Vacation Trip Was Not Improper

By Tony Romeo

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- Pennsylvania governor Tom Corbett was peppered with questions today about his belated disclosure that he accepted free trips paid for by a campaign contributor who sits on his privatization advisory panel.

Corbett was hit with questions at a news conference (for a new state web site devoted to transparency) about his recently amended Ethics Commission filing.

The governor claims he followed the law in accepting the trips from businessman John D. Moran that included a five-day vacation to Newport, Rhode Island for Corbett and his wife in July, 2011.

The governor indicated he has no problem accepting the trips from someone who has more access to him than a typical Pennsylvania resident.

"I will tell you, and you should know by now: a lot of people have access to me," Corbett told reporters.  "They're friends. Mr. Moran and his wife, Anne, are friends. We know their family very well."

And Corbett says he has followed the law:

"Where it would be a problem? If I hid it. I didn't hide it."

A spokesman blamed a clerical error for the fact that the trips were not disclosed in an original filing in March.