Paper: Corbett, wife accepted $11,000 in gifts

PHILADELPHIA — Gov. Tom Corbett and his wife, Susan, accepted gifts including seats at professional sporting events, tickets to a gala for the Philadelphia Orchestra and private jet travel over a two-year period, a newspaper reported Tuesday.

The Corbetts disclosed gifts worth more than $11,000 from lobbyists and business executives with interests in state policy in 2010, while Corbett was campaigning for governor, and in 2011, his first year in office, the Philadelphia Daily News reported.

The state Democratic Party promptly filed a complaint with the State Ethics Commission, demanding an investigation. And John Hanger, the only declared Democratic candidate for the 2014 gubernatorial election, called on Corbett to repay the value of the gifts.

State law allows elected officials to accept gifts, though they must list any gifts with an aggregate value of $250 or more and transportation, lodging or hospitality with an aggregate value of $650 or more on their annual statements of financial interest filed with the State Ethics Commission.