Citing a busy work schedule, commitments to teaching and looming publishing deadlines, famed forensic examiner Cyril Wecht announced Friday that he won't run for governor.
"It's something I thought hard about," Wecht said. "But I'm not going to run."
Wecht, a former Allegheny County commissioner, coroner and medical examiner, said he isn't ready to endorse one of the four Democratic candidates running in the May 18 primary election -- Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato, state Auditor General Jack Wagner, former U.S. Rep. Joe Hoeffel and Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty.
"I've made no such commitments or promises," said Wecht, 78. "I'll see how this plays out. I know Dan Onorato and Jack Wagner personally, and I look forward to talking to the other two."
Onorato's spokesman, Brian Herman, declined to comment. Considered the frontrunner, Onorato reported $6.5 million in a campaign account at the end of 2009, dwarfing what the other candidates compiled.
The decision to nix a bid for governor frees Wecht, an influential Democrat, to concentrate on defeating candidates in other races, including Republican Mary Beth Buchanan, the former U.S. attorney who prosecuted him. Buchanan has indicated she intends to take on incumbent 4th District Congressman Jason Altmire, a McCandless Democrat.
Buchanan's attempts to prosecute Wecht for mixing personal and county business fizzled. Despite a 2006 grand jury indictment on 81 corruption charges, jurors refused to convict him. A federal judge later tossed evidence and, in June, Buchanan dropped remaining charges.
"If asked, I'll obviously be working for Altmire," said Wecht. "When and where I'm invited to be, I'll gladly show up. But I will not make myself a campaign issue there. I will, however, if asked, find all the time to explain to the voters why Mary Beth Buchanan should not be elected."
Buchanan, 46, of Fox Chapel responded: "I have no comment on that."
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