Kane accused Fina of informing the Philadelphia Inquirer about a sting operation that Kane killed due to incriminating evidence against Philadelphia officials.
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Given the likelihood Kane will lose her law license, some sympathizers argued that incarceration would be overkill, since the underlying crime – a leak of once-secret grand jury material – sprung from what was more or less a personal feud.
Kathleen Kane was the first female attorney general in Pennsylvania, but she is now at the center of national discussion because people say her scandals are strikingly similar to Clinton’s scandals, and because Kane relied on support from the Clintons and their associates when she was campaigning for her ill-fated attorney general seat.
Kathleen Kane, the attorney general of Pennsylvania, found guilty last night on nine counts – including perjury and criminal conspiracy.
“It seemed that we had somebody who felt that she was above the law and that’s not the case because no one is above the law”, prosecutor Kevin Steel said. Kane is not running for a second term in office, and she is not required to resign immediately.
The judge also ordered Kane not to retaliate against any witnesses who testified against her at trial, warning Kane her bail would be revoked and she’d be jailed if she disobeys the order. In a statement today, Wolf said, “Her decision to resign is the right one, and will allow the people of Pennsylvania to finally move on from this situation”. Her resignation will go into effect Wednesday.
“What has transpired with Attorney General Kane is unfortunate”.
She was later alleged of leaking sealed, confidential grand jury documents regarding the 2009 investigation of former N.AA.C.P. leader J. Whyatt Mondesire financial affairs to the media as a ploy to discredit prosecutor Frank Fina, who she claimed had chosen not to prosecute Mondesire.
A jury in Norristown found her guilty on Monday of leaking information to a reporter in an effort to embarrass a rival prosecutor. The first woman elected to the post, she publicized hundreds of offensive or mildly pornographic emails that were traded by what she called the “old boys network” of top lawyers and judges in state government.
“She comes into office with these expectations and it all fell apart”, said G. Terry Madonna, director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster. Maybe Kane thought she had been elected judge instead of prosecutor, deciding which laws she would enforce and which she would casually ignore. Kane is set to be sentenced in October.
Kane became the first woman and the first Democrat to be elected Pennsylvania’s attorney general in 2012.
Attorney Gerald Shargel, best known for his defense of NY mobster John Gotti, vowed to appeal, saying Kane’s team of five lawyers believes its defense was compromised. In 2004, he ran unsuccessfully for attorney general.
State Rep. Jim Marshall, R-14, Big Beaver, said he agreed with Kane’s decision to resign.
“I don’t think she had the opportunity or the chance to do (the job)”, Mahoney said.
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Kathleen Kane is escorted out of the courtroom by a security agent.
