Kane Called Rising Star and Corrupt All in One Day

Kathleen-Kane-portrait1
PA Attorney General Kathleen Kane

Whether you’re a fan of Attorney General Kathleen Kane or not, there’s one thing everyone can agree on, her tenure has not been boring.

In her short eight months in office she has attracted headlines on issues such as further investigating the Jerry Sandusky/Penn State scandal and for decisions like refusing to defend the state’s anti-gay marriage law. This week provided another example of the “best of times, worst of times” narrative of Kane’s reign as AG.

The positive news for Kane is that the well-known Washington Post political blog “The Fix” named her one of it’s top ten rising stars.

“The first woman and first Democrat elected to her position, Kane was a rising star even before she took office earlier this year,” the Post wrote. “She won more voters in 2012 than Obama and Sen. Bob Casey (D), and made national headlines when she refused to defend the state’s same-sex marriage ban in federal court last month. Kane has ruled out a run for governor in 2014, a smart move considering that Rep. Allyson Schwartz, a rising star in her own right, is already in the race. The smart money says that at some point, Kane’s name will be in the mix for Senate or governor. But for now, she seems content with her current gig.”

Just as she is receiving national plaudits, however, she is also facing accusations at home for violating ethics rules. The issue concerns the promotion by Kane of her sister, Ellen Granahan, to head the new Child Predator Unit. The elevation of the unit to a separate division led to a pay raise for Granahan from $69,771 to $83,423.

Kane defended the hiring and called her sister the person best-qualified for the job in an interview with the Patriot-News editorial board. Her office also stated that the ultimate decision was made by her deputy. Granahan was named to the position last April and was initially hired by then-Attorney General Corbett’s office in 2008.

Kane’s office’s also noted that she had campaigned on giving the unit it’s own office and that her sister makes less than most other division heads.

All in all, another exciting week courtesy of Pennsylvania’s Attorney General.

3 Responses

  1. CasablancaPa, once again, gives us some useful information. Personnel is policy: Adrian King is Kathleen Kane’s Chief of Staff and John Estey, formerly of Delaware River Port Authority and still with Ed Rendell’s BallardSpahr is Hershey’s new General Counsel.

    Coincidentally, perhaps correlated but only a paranoid conspracist would say caused, the Zimmerman Hershey investigation is closed.

    http://www.casablancapa.blogspot.com/2013/05/maybe-it-is-maybe-it-isnt.html (10 May 2013).

  2. “Her office also stated that the ultimate decision was made by her deputy.” Has she made any major decision on her own yet? Seems like every decision she’s announced is determined by someone else, and every time you turn around she’s cancelling another media interview. Can’t wait to get an adult in their that can handle the office himself or herself!

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