Execution orders have to be signed by the governor, don't they?

If he refuses to sign, is that the same as a moratorium?

BYOB wrote:

The reason for all this is that Mr. Corbett decided to hurry up and schedule 5 executions for mid-march (a few months into Wolf's term) before he exited, which seemed odd since no one has been executed in PA since 1999. Forcing Mr. Wolf to do something. Sadly, we are apparently not above playing politics with lives in this state. http://www.ydr.com/letters/ci_27551680/wolfs-death-penalty-moratorium-forces-conservatives-confront-views

 

So Corbett decided to raise the ante !  His timing was impeccable ! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm3zV1pCTQ8

 

TheLagerLad wrote:

Just Fred wrote:

Maybe, like me, Tom Wolf simply opposes the death penalty.  It could be as simple as that.  I don't see it as a conservative vs liberal thing.

That's fine for Wolf to oppose the death penalty. I oppose it as well except in the most heinous cases and where there isn't a sliver of doubt regarding the defendent's guilt.

That said, Wolf cannot simply by executive fiat end the death penalty. He can (and has) slowed it down more than it already has been, but if we are going to end executions performed by the state, we need to do it the right way and that's through the legislative process. 
 

I don't believe his current actions ended the death penalty at all. It could wind up that the ongoing look at this will make recommendations that the legislature will take up. Maybe and then again maybe not. In any case I believe it to be a prudent action given that there is a commission looking at this very issue and to rush 5 people to the death chamber that was obviously precipitated by the outgoing governor to force this very controversy. Tom did the right thing at this moment in time.