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BREAKING: AG Kathleen Kane Charged

Kane-sadKathleen Kane has been charged with five criminal counts.

The Attorney General was charged with obstructing administration of law or other government function, official oppression, criminal conspiracy, perjury and false swearing.

Montgomery County DA Risa Vetri Ferman handled this case and conducted the press conference this morning.

Arrangement will take place in the next two days.

The Attorney General leaked classified grand jury information to a political operative who would then leak it to the press. According to Ferman, she did this “in hopes of embarrassing and harming former state prosecutors she believed, without evidence, made her look bad.”

Ferman also revealed that a criminal contempt charge was filed against Patrick Reese, the Attorney General’s driver. She stated that Reese repeatedly snuck into the grand jury files despite orders that they be sealed.

“No one is above the law, not even the highest law enforcement official of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” Ferman concluded. “This is a sad day for the citizens of Pennsylvania and for all of us in law enforcement.”

Ferman passed on the question of whether Kane should resign, although the AG has said in the past that she will not resign if charged.

Last year, a grand jury recommended charges of perjury, criminal contempt, obstruction of justice and official oppression be issued against the Attorney General.

This case stems from a June Daily News article that suggested Frank Fina fumbled a case involving a Philly civil rights leader.

A full timeline of Kane’s case is can be accessed here.

UPDATE: The Attorney General released the following statement in response:

“I am very disappointed the district attorney has made the decision to pursue this case. I have maintained my innocence from the day these allegations surfaced and I continue to do so today.”

“I intend to defend myself vigorously against these charges. I look forward to the opportunity to present my case in a public courtroom and move beyond the behind-the-scenes maneuvering that has defined the process to this point.”

“Meanwhile, I remain committed to leading the Office of Attorney General and doing the job the citizens of this Commonwealth elected me to do. A resignation would be an admission of guilt and I’m not guilty.”

“I assure everyone the Office of Attorney General will continue to fulfill its mission to protect and serve the citizens of Pennsylvania.”

UPDATE 2: You can read the full criminal complaint here.

127 Responses

  1. @ DD:

    You are akin to the person who claims one can be “just a little bit pregnant” [but not totally?] when you ignore the fact that a misdemeanor is a crime.

  2. David Diano,

    What I find funny is that you apparently seem to always want laws to be enforced that you agree with. Like Kane who agreed with her stance that DOMA laws should be ignored simply because you don’t agree with its substance.

    You also want grand jury secrecy laws ignored because you don’t agree with them. What’s next?

    Do you not agree with speed limits? Screw them. Drive as fast as you want.

    How about laws protecting citizens from fraudulent home contractors? Nah, screw those laws too.

    Or how about laws protecting senior citizens from abuse in nursing homes? Nah, those people are going to die soon anyway.

    Ooh, how about laws protecting children against sexual predators? Oh screw those kids too…their parents should be watching them better.

    I personally think I shouldn’t have to pay anything for food. I am going to go steal groceries and tell the police not to enforce the laws against retail theft because gosh darn it I just don’t agree with them.

    Or…better yet I’m not going to file my income taxes next April because I don’t agree with my money going to poor people who need help. I think tax laws are dumb and poor people shouldn’t be poor.

    Are there any other laws that we shouldn’t enforce because David Diano and Kathleen Kane don’t agree with?

  3. No. It’s the credibility of the Montco DA for participating in this farce.

    What’s the penalty for all the misdemeanors?

    If they aren’t enough to remove her from office, then the perjury charge has only one real purpose: overturning an election

    Let’s not forget, the GOP wanted to remove her for not defending the voter ID law and the ban on gay marriage. Both were found unconstitutional, further validating Kane’s stance, yet the GOP tried condemning her and talked of impeachment

    All they’ve care about since she won was finding an excuse to remove her. That’s the cold hard truth missing from the narrative of this case.

  4. @ DD:

    Ignoring your ad-hominem, the thrust of your latest defense of AG-Kane is that the “cover-up” charges are “only” [non-felonious] misdemeanors; isn’t the credibility of the Office of the AG injured in the process, regardless of the degree of the crime committed?

  5. rsklaroff-

    The “cover up” charges are all misdemeanors, with a bogus perjury charge thrown in to make it sound more serious than it actually is so they can call her a felon.

    The entire case is bullsh*t. The 40+ page indictment should have started with “Once upon a time…”, like most fairy tales.

    From what I’ve googled about you, it sounds like some people think you make your living as a paid perjurer.. oops “expert”… for medical malpractice lawsuits.

    I wouldn’t consider you mentally fit to stand trial, let alone be a witness. So, that just convinces me even more that the legal system is broken if the threshold is low enough for you to be allowed to testify.

  6. @ DD:

    Since last I wrote, you have been skewered…even if you eschew admitting it; you essentially claim that nothing short of a Kane-confession would convince you of her guilt.

    Yet, notwithstanding your lamentations against the legal system, you haven’t refuted the fact that people get nailed via a cover-up; in this instance, her Grand Jury testimony appears to have been profoundly/repeatedly tainted [and NOT due to “amnesia”] both with regard to conflicts with other deponents and with key documents.

    Thus, an individual can be convicted of such mendacity in a fashion that’s mutually-exclusive of other counts; for example, when she says she didn’t read a memo that it seems had actually been the provocation for a staff meeting, it would seem that her ability to defend her credibility would be demonstrably compromised.

    Previously, you admitted that PoliticsPA postings constitute “sport” for you; that level of levity may explain how you shroud your knowledge-base by attacking the integrity of those who post concerns at variance with yours.

    As is true when political motivations are inappropriately honored, your intransigence [channeling that of AG-Kane] will only redound to the detriment of the statewide Dems; this can only help Toomey [and other R’s whom you despise], thereby explaining why an initiative to replace her has been initiated by Wolf, et al. [as other Dems remain mute].

  7. Just one question, who is going to be covering the overtime expenses for four agents working a Saturday?

  8. Kanesdriver

    I’ve disagreed with how the law operates for many years, and seen too many people railroaded by over zealous prosecutors. The very idea that (allegedly) lying about something (that may or may not be a crime) counts as a bigger crime than the original accusations seems ridiculous to me and I reject it as a bullsh*t violation by the courts to even allow it.

    The other charges are all misdemeanors (and the false swearing is even more bullsh*t). It’s like accusing someone of stealing $15 and charging them with stealing $10 and $5 separately, with different penalties.

    Kane probably should have refused to answer all the questions and asserted her 5th amendment rights.

    If you lie and accuse someone of murder, or provide a false alibi that could be a legitimate crime. If you say: I didn’t do XYZ
    That shouldn’t count against you.

    The legal system is rigged, and it’s been for as long as I can remember.

    As for the staff, they had plenty of opportunity to file workplace grievances if it was that bad.

  9. David Diano,
    So in essence you have admitted numerous times today that 1) You don’t know crap about the law; 2)You’re a partisan hack that puts party over the rule of law; 3)You are void of making a coherent argument relying on the age old defense of projecting Kane’s shortcomings on others; 4) Know nothing of the inner workings of the OAG and have no idea of how any employee is treated.

    The vast majority of the line staff of the OAG are non partisan investigators and prosecutors. Many of whom place their lives on the line cleaning the streets of drug dealers, child predators, thieves, and those that violate the rights of the elderly, consumers, and children.

    Yet, like Kane you disparage them. “Grow up” or “Find another job” or “file an HR complaint”. That’s the best. When an HR complaint was filed against Duecker what happened? The HR director was fired for having the temerity to actually do this job and recommend the firing of Duecker. Then on top of all that Duecker who was accused by not one woman but two of sexually harassing them is promoted to Chief of Staff. WHAT? How can you defend that? Many such as yourself like to proclaim that the Republicans have engaged in “War on Women.” Yet, you stand here and defend the indefensible simply because Kane is a democrat. Who is truly engaging in a “War on Women”?

    Finally, what will you finally say when Kane pleads guilty?

  10. JP — Conventional wisdom says that DP is engaged in plea talks. Theoretically, the government likely views DP as especially to proving their case inasmuch as he can, hypothetically speaking, prove the conspiracy on the underlying crimes associated with the leaking of the grand-jury protected information and the conspiracy associated with the cover up.

  11. kanesdriver-

    No. It’s my complete and utter contempt for this being a political prosecution that shouldn’t be rewarded with any legitimacy.

    Court Watcher-

    So, you acknowledge entrapment? Great. Case dismissed.

    As for her staff being mistreated, I don’t know any of them or how many were Republican pr*cks left over from Corbett or pals of Fina who were working against her. I’ve worked for bosses who pull crap 10 times worse than any alleged “mistreatment” by Kane. Some people can stand-up to and fire back at the boss and some fold. I’ve told more than one boss that he needed to remove his head from his @ss … and I didn’t get fired for it.

    At my first job, fresh out of college, my manager two levels up justified the low employee raises one year by claiming he got a zero percent raise. I told him that considering the job he did, he was lucky to get that. 🙂 He did ask (yell at) me to leave his office, but I wasn’t fired.

    At the beginning, when I first started there, that same particular manager tried getting me to do his take-home exam (from some graduate course) to be a “team player”. He threatened my job, I told him to shove his exam and do his own work. A few years later, one of the other staffers wrote that manager’s master thesis and got a raise/promotion. When I finally quit even more years later, I told the big top-level boss the entire story and he asked me to put it in writing for the HR department. I always liked, respected and got along with the big boss, and was glad that he wanted me to put my story on the record, rather than just brush me off and pretend he would take care of it.

    My point is that I didn’t take any sh*t from my bosses when they were being unreasonable or obnoxious, and Kane isn’t worse than any of them. So, this whole bad-boss thing is crap to throw more dirt on her as if it makes her more guilty somehow. If the staff didn’t like it: grow a set, look for another job, and/or file an HR complaint. These staffers are grown-ups and not newbies fresh out of college.

  12. @Diano:

    Do I believe traps were set for her? Yes.

    Did she fall into them due to lack of experience and thin skin? Yes.

    The evidence of her mistreatment of staff is overwhelming. Why don’t you have any sympathy for them?

  13. I noticed one of the players in this whole thing “DP” seems to be escaping prosecution either because he made a deal to save himself or perhaps he’ll be charged at a later dat. He did as much and even more than the driver……..

  14. So basically it’s blind faith in Kathleen Kane simply because she’s progressive Democrat and not because she’s guilty of anything? Like I said. You’re a major part of the problem with this country and in particular this state.

  15. Let me save you guys some time…

    Nothing short of the following is going to convince me:

    1) A confession by Kane

    2) video tape of Kane doing what she’s accused of (and I don’t consider her original leak to be a crime worthy of more than a small fine for accidentally failing to redact Mondesire)

    3) inside info from someone I’ve known personally and trust (note: no one meeting that description is involved in this case)

  16. I still love the Kane defense of “Well…those guys leaked so it doesn’t matter what Kane leaked…”

  17. David Diano,

    Again, you sir are a partisan hack that won’t see the forest for trees. You have no understanding of criminal justice process or system. You have no knowledge of what probable cause means. You have a deep seeded belief that until testimony is “cross examined” it is useless.

    Kathleen Kane has been a disgrace to herself, her family, the men and women who have worked for her and the citizens of the commonwealth. I don’t mind that you defend her. What I do mind is this myopic understanding of what you wish the system was as opposed to what to truly is.

    Again, if Kane has been the victim of a Orwellian conspiracy she will certainly have the relief that comes from filing a civil claim against all those that have testified against her. My guess is that this case will never be filed.

  18. kanesdriver-

    I’m not even addressing the situation with her driver as I haven’t heard any quote, explanation, etc. from him or his advocates. He’s collateral damage in the witch hunt against Kane, which hasn’t yielded any collateral damage on the leakers against her. When those leakers get perp-walked, then maybe this investigation would begin to show some legitimacy.

    Reasonable Rep-
    I don’t know that she lied under oath. You are pronouncing her guilty of that to justify the abhorrent actions of her accusers in a game of gotcha.

    She presented her recollections and views, and did not have the opportunity to cross-examine conflicting testimony. If you maintain your innocence and say you did not commit crimes x, y and z, then you shouldn’t be charged with perjury because the DA thinks you did commit them.

    Jaywalking is a crime too, but should the DA be following her around just to catch her crossing against the light? That would certainly be selective prosecution.

    This case is an example of selective prosecution as well, also fake outrage (since they aren’t going after the leakers in their own case).

    To the extent that abuse of prosecutorial power is criminal, then yes, all appearances indicate that they’ve been committing crimes in their pursuit of Kane to take down an AG that they couldn’t defeat at the ballot box.

  19. In so many words Diano has accused the Special Prosecutor and the MontCo DA of committing crimes during their investigation of Kane based on leaks that occurred during the investigation. Obviously there is no evidence to substantiate his claims, but let’s assume – for argument’s sake – that Diano is correct.

    Did you seriously just suggest that Kane was left with no choice but to commit a felony and lie under oath? That her actions are now somehow rendered legally excusable? Maybe you’re the one she’s getting her counsel from, which would explain a lot.

    Understanding the law and its application to a factual circumstance is, in its simplest form, an exercise of logical reasoning and objectivity. This is where the Kane apologists completely lose their way.

    The porn emails, the grand jury leaks, the rarity with which this criminal offense is prosecuted … it’s nothing more than interesting political banter. When it comes to determining Kane’s guilt as a matter of law, these peripheral issues are completely irrelevant. The Kane apologists either can’t grasp that reality or they simply choose not to.

    All these months later, I’m STILL waiting for somebody to offer a cognizable legal defense to the crimes that she has been charged with.

  20. David Diano,
    So basically you don’t refute the evidence against Kane only offer the defense that others have done it so what’s the big deal?

    Also, you don’t refute the fact that Kane gave her driver illegal access to a computer program he had no reason to access.

    You’re the reason I hate politics. This blind loyalty to a partisan party over any substance is sickening. You are a huge part of the problem.

  21. kanesdriver-

    If Kane’s leak was so criminal, then why has there been a huge effort to go after the leaks in the investigation against her, which must surely be far more criminal?

    This entire operation has been a political attack to entrap Kane from the get go. In my book, when the system is corrupt, you can’t prosecute anyone (especially if you are engaged in crimes similar to what you allege).

    As Madonna and Young pointed out the type of “leak” that started this is commonplace and rarely prosecuted. This is political, and without moral authority.

    As far as I’m concerned, if her driver had kidnapped Fina, the prosecutor and the judge and beat a confession out of them for their conspiracy, I wouldn’t be too upset.

  22. David Diano,
    Can you be any more dense? If there is any evidence that this prosecution is nothing but made up lies to “persecute” Kane then she has the remedy of suing those that did it civilly. If she does not avail herself to this remedy will you finally concede that perhaps there were merits to the investigation and charges that were filed?

    More importantly the belief that the leak was not “not criminal” is pure nonsense. Furthermore to suggest that any evidence illegality obtained during that investigation should be ignored is simply put asinine.

    Did anyone force Kane to give any information to the Daily News? Or do you believe that she didn’t do this? Do you believe that King, Beamer, and Morrow all lied in an attempt incriminate Kane?

    Or better yet why would Pat Reese be given access to a highly sensitive computer program? No where in his job description does it provide him with the necessity to oversee anything remotely related to the grand jury.

    Even if you agree with his having the rights and ability to have access to that program why would the security person for Kathleen Kane need to search any file having to do with the grand jury? Remember he’s not an investigator for the office. He’s simply the guy that drives Kane from point A to point B.

    Can you explain any of these things? Or do you believe that this is all a Oliver Stone conspiracy movie that is writing itself before our eyes? Or is Frank Fina this evil of a genius that he could orchestrate all of this?

    How about using some common sense here.

  23. rsklaroff-

    IF you read the entire context of what I wrote and have been writing, I’ve made it clear that I consider the entire investigation a criminal abuse of prosecutorial power (and suspect that same power to be in either the leakers, in cahoots with the leakers, or purposely turning a blind eye… thus invalidating their entire premise for going after Kane in the first place).

    How is one supposed to respond when legal system is behaving criminally?

  24. @ DD:

    The following posting is disproven by what occurred [inter alia] to Scooter Libby and to Al Capone; people often get nailed due to deceit derivative of an attempt to cover-up prior behavior.

    “I specifically think that the leak was not criminal, so the grand jury and everything derived from it is invalid. (Similar to fruit from the poisoned tree.)”

  25. She should move to a Sanctuary City for illegals and she will be safe from prosecution.

  26. Hey Platinum! I see that you are now using the screen name of Harvey C. Why not use the others that you have used in the past?

    Better yet I thought you told us that these charges were never going to be filed. I thought you said that the DA would see through the clown car case and vindicate your girl.

    Come on Platinum, Busta, Copper, Rhodium, Robert or whatever name you next come up with. The only clown here is you. Take the last of the Bonus Gate money and buy yourself some more popcorn. This is going to get good especially when two more get charged.

    Oh they’re flipping on your girl like a stack of pancakes.

  27. eagleswing – you are clearly a shill. try again. everyone knows fina and his pals have been leaking secret grand jury material to the writers at the inquirer.

  28. Trivia What is the Name of The Convicted Felon Who is the Current Republican National Committeeman of Pennsylvania Appointed by( What a Joke) Future at the time Head of Office of Homeland Security ? Hint He caused Former Treasurer R Bud Dwyer to Blow his Brains out at a Press conference . ?

  29. Montgo PA Dem is obviously in severe disagreement with the Pa. Rules of Criminal Procedure and the Crimes Code’s investigating grand jury statute, since s/he refers to them as a pile of crap. Here’s the text of what has been duly passed by our PA legislators: “Rule 230. Disclosure of Testimony Before Investigating Grand Jury. (A) Attorney for the Commonwealth:
    “Upon receipt of the certified transcript of the proceedings before the investigating grand jury, the court shall furnish a copy of the transcript to the attorney for the Commonwealth for use in the performance of official duties..” NB, ‘Official duties of Kane et. al. nowhere includes retaliatory leaks to the press to punish your enemies . I note that there are similar provisions for witnesses and others who violate the law by disclosing secret GJ proceedings. In my humble opinion, if you have evidence that other people have violated the grand jury secrecy provisions of the Crimes Code, you ought not be wasting time on this board excoriating your fellow posters, but rather should proceed to the closest DA with jurisdiction to report your ‘evidence’–such as it may be.

  30. Denny

    I just assume the pro porn anonymous posters are on lists of sexual predators under their real names, but they can’t post comments there, so they come here instead.

  31. And have you noticed that some of us put our real names behind what we say, right or wrong? I respectfully disagree with disclosed posters, but I call anonymous posters idiots, shills, hacks, etc., because that’s what they deserve for hiding behind the curtains.

  32. Luzerne County’s own Harvey Dent, Jarrett Ferrentino for Attorney General. It’s a done deal for the Italian Stallion.

  33. Diano just says stuff – he has no clue what he is talking about an has no perception of reality.

  34. You are very brave David. These threads reveal a lot about you. Most people don’t go down with the ship. But, you’ve been trolled. Can’t you see you walked right into it? Look, sometimes the truth is so glaring it doesn’t matter who says it. Have you noticed how many anonymous handles have chosen NOT to throw away their credibility on this board and stand with you on this one?

  35. Not able

    You guys are the ones liking porn, because you dismiss Fina and his porn pals.

    But, really should take a moment to recognize the bravery of you and the other anonymous posters who change their handles more often than their underwear (once a week). I haven’t seen that kind of bravery since Trump got a deferment for a bone spur.

    You come here and swipe at Kane, while cowering behind fake identities. Pathetic.

    Put your money where your mouth is. Who’s a former (or current) staffer? Who’s been in a scandal or worked for people who were (or currently are)?

    I’m not some flunky working for a politician, nor an aspiring flunky.

  36. Dave Diano – Why are you obsessed with porn? Probably wanna seek medical attention. Your defense of your bae Kane always has to do with naked people.

    That’s odd, concerning and disgusting – sort of like your obsession with the recently indicted AG. Sore loser Dave Diano.

  37. Asher’s real magic is making Kane lie on the stand. Total Houdini that man is. I once saw him make 100 Democrats’ heads explode with a snap of his fingers. Just magic.

  38. Lets Look at The Vetri Restaurants to see if they are Paying every dime they owe to the Government lets see if Vetri restaurants are following all The Health Code Laws Lets see if there are any Illegal Aliens working in the Vetri restaurants . Lets see If The Vetri restaurants are following all wage and Hour Laws Dont Throw stones unless you want to be looked at as well .

  39. Convicted Felon Bob ” Asher’s Candies ” Is behind this Imagine that a Felon who is a Republican National Committeeman setting up an AG To be Prosecuted Oh The Irony . I say Send Felon Bob Asher back to Prison where he belongs .

  40. Not able-

    How do you find the time to post while sending naked selfies to Fina?

    Williams is a hack who’s been after Kane for his own political aspirations.

    Wolf’s got no history or loyalty to Kane, and too many political headaches of his own making. He doesn’t want the distraction, and probably doesn’t care about the outcome, except for the upside of picking a replacement who won’t be very independent of him.

  41. Dave’s girlfriend finally is going down. I appreciate him wanting to stand by his girl but frankly, its sort of pathetic. We elected a woman with very limited experience. The people of Pennsylvania deserve to pay for that horrible mistake.

    Wolf, Dermody, Williams all calling for her to resign. Any argument that this was a political witch hunt by Republicans is laughable. I’m sorry that that is the only argument you have left to defend your bae, Dave. Time to move on, though. I hear Josh Shapiro is looking for someone to be his PoliticsPA lap dog for his upcoming candidacy for Attorney General. You’ll like him Dave. He actually has less experience than Kathleen Kane (and thats hard to beat)! Thats what you’re into in candidates for high office, right?

  42. Eaglewing, that is such a load of crap. Do not come here and try to peddle that “secrecy is the foundation of our grand jury system” manure — anybody who’s ever read a newspaper knows it hasn’t worked that way for decades. Ever since reporters and editors decided that anonymous sources were fair game, lawyers , defendents, — hell, probably even judges — have been only too happy to blab about what’s being said during GJ proceedings. Kane’s great transgression — other than being a woman and a Democrat — has been that she doesn’t seem to have a clue how to cover her tracks. If you’re going to jump into a viper pit, you better be a viper yourself. She wasn’t, and she’s probably not going survive as AG because of it.

  43. Perhaps Risa needs to examine her position, her aggressive POLITICAL stance could backfire once her skeletons start jumping out of the closet.

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