Kane blames her prosecution in the unrelated criminal case on efforts to hide the names of those involved in the circulation of pornographic emails among prosecutors and judges.
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On Thursday, Montgomery County Judge William Carpenter, who oversees statewide grand juries in eastern Pennsylvania, responded to her claims. The emails that are in Attorney General Kane’s possession were not introduced into evidence before the 35th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury.
“Attorney General Kathleen Kane has not filed with me any petition, pleading, motion or other request for Court action”, Carpenter wrote.
Patrick Reese, a former police chief who is Kane’s driver and head of her security, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a contempt charge involving allegations he violated a judge’s order by accessing emails in a state computer system to keep tabs on the grand jury investigation.
For now, the judge says he’s not taking any action.
On Wednesday Kane called her indictment a “stealth political weapon” meant to divert attention from emails her office uncovered in reviewing how the former Attorney General’s office had conducted the Jerry Sandusky child-abuse investigation. She is due back in Montgomery County on August 24 for a preliminary hearing in front District Judge Cathleen Kelly Rebar.
The judge said Kathleen Kane hasn’t started the process of formally filing a request to release those emails.
Castor, who is running to reclaim the post of District Attorney said he plans to campaign on his record. “We expect to file an appropriate motion next week to ensure that no protective order bars release of the information in question”, Shargel said in a prepared statement on Thursday. Prosecutors say Kane then lied about the ordeal under oath. A spokesperson for the attorney general says that may happen soon.
Prosecutors also have accused Kane of instructing some of her staff to monitor employee emails as the grand jury was wrapping up its investigation of her. Numerous high-ranking state officials, including Governor Tom Wolf, a Democrat, have called for her resignation.
On Wednesday evening, following her press conference, Kane made the ceremonial first kick at a pro soccer game between the Harrisburg City Islanders and Louisville City FC, PennLive reported.
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Kane, in her statement, asked the disciplinary board to halt any action until Carpenter authorizes her to release the trove of emails.
