Tom Corbett was elected in 2004 as Pennsylvania's 25th modern Attorney General, dedicating the resources of the Office of Attorney General to make the Commonwealth a safer and better place for families to live, work and grow. On November 4th, 2008, he won reelection in decisive fashion, drawing strong bipartisan support from every community across the state in a resounding endorsement of the office's ongoing public protection mission.
Declaring that "public safety is the single most important service that government can provide," Attorney General Corbett quickly identified the most serious threats facing Pennsylvania's communities and developed a series of new programs to address them.
Corbett created the Attorney General's Child Predator Unit to identify and capture Internet predators before they can harm children, as well as to educate kids and parents about online threats. Since it's creation in January 2005, the Child Predator Unit has arrested more than 175 suspected Internet predators.
Tom Corbett created a Public Corruption Unit to investigate and prosecute cases involving public officials and government employees - stressing the importance of the Attorney General as "watchdog" to protect the citizens of Pennsylvania from abuse of power, government corruption and the criminal influence of gambling.
Protecting Pennsylvania's senior population from fraud and abuse is another priority for Tom Corbett. The Commonwealth has the 3rd largest percentage of seniors in the U.S., making Pennsylvania a prime target for criminals and scam artists. The Attorney General's Elder Abuse Unit brings together enforcement and educational resources to best serve this vulnerable group.
Tom Corbett is also dedicated to vigorously fighting illegal drugs, working closely with local, state and federal law enforcement to halt drug trafficking into Pennsylvania and reduce the drug-related crime that endangers communities across the Commonwealth.
A life-long Pennsylvania resident, Attorney General Corbett has been a key advisor to U.S. Presidents and Governors. He has a long and distinguished career serving the citizens of the Commonwealth, making a significant impact on the lives of Pennsylvanians through his work on issues of criminal justice, victims' rights and drug and alcohol prevention and rehabilitation.
Tom Corbett's experience as a criminal prosecutor began in Allegheny County, where he served as an Assistant District Attorney, focusing on the prosecution of rape and homicide cases. In the early 1980's, Tom Corbett served President Ronald Reagan as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, specializing in prosecuting organized crime and drug cases. He was also named as one of the first members of President Reagan's National Drug Task Force.
Following several years of private law practice, Corbett was called back to public service in 1989, when President George H. W. Bush appointed him to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
In the 1990's, Tom Corbett provided criminal law and policy expertise to then-Congressman Tom Ridge, later filling several key roles in Governor Ridge's administration. Corbett planned the Governor's successful special session on crime and was appointed to chair the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, shaping criminal justice policy and working to improve drug and alcohol prevention and rehabilitation programs across the state.
Tom Corbett's current role as Pennsylvania Attorney General is one with which he is very familiar. In 1995, Corbett was named by Governor Ridge to complete the term of former Attorney General Ernie Preate, working to re-establish public trust and integrity to the Office of Attorney General. During that time, Corbett created the Insurance Fraud Section and reformed the statewide Drug Task Force, which resulted in more efficient and successful prosecutions of drug crimes in Pennsylvania.
In 1997, Tom Corbett again returned to private practice, forming his own law firm, Thomas Corbett and Associates, which specializes in consultation and government relations. He continued that private practice until his election as Pennsylvania Attorney General in November 2004.
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett served his country as a member of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard 28th Infantry Division from 1971 until 1984, rising from private to captain.
Corbett received his undergraduate degree from Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pennsylvania, and taught civics and history in Pine Grove Area High School in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. In 1975, he received his law degree from St. Mary's University Law School in San Antonio, Texas.
Tom Corbett and his wife, Susan Manbeck Corbett, are the proud parents of two children: Tom, a video game producer; and Katherine, a prosecutor in the Philadelphia District Attorney's office.