The chairman of a special state Senate committee studying whether Kathleen Kane can function as attorney general with a suspended law license says her top deputies will appear before the panel Wednesday.
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Kane’s office hasn’t explained how she’s complying with the suspension order.
The deputies include the Attorney General’s second-in-command, Bruce Beemer.
She said she has delegated the authority to approve wiretaps in investigations.
According to the letter, decisions about whether to bring civil or criminal actions, to settle civil actions, to offer or accept plea agreements, to join amicus briefs and any decisions with regard to appeals or grand juries should lie with Beemer, the first deputy.
“We decide that it would be important to know what the current status is of the attorney general’s office”, Mr. Gordner said.
Her suspension by the Supreme Court took effect late last month.
The constitution allows the governor to remove an official for cause, following a two-thirds vote in the Senate.
The attorney general faces criminal charges, including perjury and obstruction, with Montgomery County prosecutors saying she orchestrated the disclosure of confidential information to retaliate against former state prosecutors.
The Senate committee is expected to release its preliminary findings by November 25 on a very narrow question: whether Kane’s suspension means that she can no longer perform her duties.
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The committee previously heard from three county district attorneys, who said they could not do their jobs with suspended licenses.
