Longtime Corbett spokesman leaving adminstration

HARRISBURG - Gov. Corbett's longtime spokesman, Kevin Harley, announced Monday that he would leave the administration to join a political and governmental consulting firm.

Harley's departure from the $145,000-a-year-post comes amid a shake-up of Corbett's senior staff and pressure from GOP leaders to reshape the governor's image in the face of sagging poll numbers ahead of an election year.

Republican leaders have been complaining privately for months that Corbett's communications team was doing a poor job of selling his accomplishments and beating back attacks. Some said they had told the governor directly that he needed a sharper approach to media relations with the ramp-up to the 2014 campaign.

Harley, 49, who has worked for Corbett as a campaign manager and spokesman for almost 20 years, said he was under no pressure to resign.

He said he took the job with Harrisburg-based Quantum Communications after months of conversations with Charlie Gerow, the firm's founder and a close friend of 25 years.

Harley said would be involved in the Corbett reelection campaign in his new role as a political consultant.

"I will continue to help him next year," he said. "It's a win for me and for the governor."

Corbett called Harley one of his "closest and trusted advisers for many years."

"I value his counsel and friendship," Corbett said in a statement. "I look forward to continuing to work with him in a new role."

Harley said he would start his new job after Labor Day and a replacement would be named in coming weeks.

Harley's exit makes nine Corbett cabinet officials and senior staff to have departed in the last nine months, including, most recently, chief-of-staff Steve Aichele. He was replaced by veteran GOP strategist Leslie Gromis-Baker, who managed successful campaigns for Gov. Tom Ridge.