Kathleen Kane
We’ve been following for quite some time the tawdry tale of Kathleen Kane, the attorney general of Pennsylvania. Last year, Kane’s law license got suspended, rendering the attorney general unable to practice as an attorney. She resisted calls for resignation — but the calls will only grow stronger, in the wake of last night’s news:
She was a rising Democratic star. She was the first in her party to be elected state attorney general. She was one of the most powerful women in Pennsylvania.
But on Monday night, Kathleen G. Kane, the state’s top prosecutor, became a convicted criminal.
A jury found Ms. Kane, 50, guilty of nine criminal charges, including perjury and criminal conspiracy, convicting her of leaking grand jury information, and then lying about it, in an effort to discredit a political rival.
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It’s a long and twisted saga, a series of interlocking political and legal scandals that have already cost two Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices their jobs. What are the consequences for Kathleen Kane? It’s not yet clear:
“[W]e have not lost our resolve. We will continue this litigation,” [defense lawyer Gerald] Shargel told reporters outside Montgomery County Courthouse. “We will continue this fight because we believe that our client has been wrongfully accused of this conduct.” ….
Under state law, Kane must resign after being sentenced for a crime committed in the course of her elected duties.
Shargel said whether Kane will resign is a question her lawyers will address in the coming days. But [Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin] Steele said he did not expect Kane to resign until she is sentenced.
Steele could very well be right. If Kane doesn’t have enough shame to have stepped down already, why leave now? Judge Wendy Demchick-Alloy said that Kane will get sentenced in 90 days, which takes us to November; Kane’s term ends in January. She probably figures she might as well enjoy a government paycheck for as long as possible.
And, of course, her freedom. Kane faces up to 14 years in prison.
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UPDATE (6:58 p.m.): Kathleen Kane is resigning, effective at the end of the day today.
What else is there left to say?
Not much other than "what a mess." I'm from NJ, & this is messed-up even by our standards.
— David Lat (@DavidLat) August 16, 2016
Also think it shows the dangers of revenge. I try to live by @FrozenElsa's motto: let it go.
— David Lat (@DavidLat) August 16, 2016
From the state of porn-addicted Supreme Court justices, a convicted AG. I'd say make PA great "again" but… https://t.co/Lh8syjDQDA
— Joe Patrice (@JosephPatrice) August 16, 2016
Pennsylvania’s Attorney General Is Convicted on All Counts [New York Times]
Kathleen Kane guilty on all counts [Allentown Morning Call]
Kathleen Kane faces pressure to resign [WTAE.com]
Earlier: ‘No Law License? No Problem!’ Says Embattled State Attorney General
A Supreme Court Justice’s Offensive, Racy Emails
David Lat is the founder and managing editor of Above the Law and the author of Supreme Ambitions: A Novel. You can connect with David on Twitter (@DavidLat), LinkedIn, and Facebook, and you can reach him by email at [email protected].