Kathleen Kane has been formally charged.
Below we are compiling the various reactions of officials and parties to this news from throughout the commonwealth:
Governor Tom Wolf
Governor Tom Wolf addresses the charges against Penn. DA Kathleen Kane in East Stroudsburg. http://t.co/iY0TEd32i2
— Keith R. Stevenson (@PoconoStevenson) August 6, 2015
Courtesy of Keith Stevenson of the Pocono Record, we have video of Gov. Wolf addressing Kane and her situation.
The Governor then issued an official statement:
“In this criminal complaint, Attorney General Kathleen Kane was charged with official oppression; she was charged with obstruction of administration of law; she was charged with perjury. These are the charges and there are other serious charges, and they are troubling. And, I am not sure how the top law enforcement officer in Pennsylvania can continue to perform her duties while she is defending herself against these serious charges. They are serious.”
“She is entitled to her day in court. She is entitled to due process under our system of government and law, and she will have time to defend herself, and I think she needs to do that.”
“But in the meantime, I am calling on her to step aside, step down as attorney general, because I think she cannot do what she has to do as the top law enforcement officer in Pennsylvania while she’s facing these serious charges.”
Pennsylvania Republican Party
“Today marks yet dark chapter in Kathleen Kane’s tenure as Attorney General,” said PA GOP Chairman Rob Gleason. “It seems like every week there’s a new scandal involving the alleged corrupt activities of Democratic elected officials such as Kathleen Kane, Rob McCord, and Chaka Fattah. How are Pennsylvanians supposed to have confidence in our government when our own Attorney General is under indictment?”
“Kathleen Kane’s alleged actions are disturbing and, if true, have caused severe damage to the integrity of the Office of the Attorney General. It’s sad that the alleged and confirmed corrupt activities of Democratic elected officials has become a recurring theme of 2015.”
State Senator Rob Teplitz
Sen. Rob Teplitz (D-Dauphin/Perry) released the following statement:
“Attorney General Kane showed great potential when she first took office and has performed quite admirably in many areas. However, as a legislator who has made government reform a top priority and as a twenty-year officer of the court, I believe that her continuation in office is no longer tenable. When the Commonwealth’s top law enforcement officer is charged with crimes that go to the very heart of the fair and impartial administration of justice, that individual must resign immediately. I believe this to be necessary whoever he or she may be and regardless of party affiliation, accomplishments, or any other factors.
“Quite simply, criminal defendants are entitled to be presumed innocent, but they are not entitled to be attorney general. Far from being an admission of guilt, a resignation under these circumstances would indicate a recognition of the sanctity of our criminal justice system.
“I thank Attorney General Kane for her years of public service and wish her the best as she deals with this serious issue. In the meantime, the public interest must come first.”
State Rep. Frank Dermody
House Minority Leader Frank Dermody also seemed to suggest Kane should step aside, according to Karen Langley of the Post-Gazette.
PA House Dem leader Dermody: "The charges will make it extremely difficult for her to lead the Office of Attorney General…"
— Karen Langley (@karen_langley) August 6, 2015
Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams
Philly’s DA released the following statement:
“As DA Ferman said, this is a bad day for law enforcement; but it’s also a bright one. The affidavit asserts that members of the attorney general’s office have used surreptitious and illegal means to target other prosecutors whose official acts were perceived to harm the AG’s interests. Even the attorney general, however, is not beyond the efforts of local prosecutors, judges and grand jurors to uncover evidence of abuse of office. I’m gratified that the legal process is now proceeding on a proper course.”
PA House Majority Leader Dave Reed
“The gravity of the charges outlined by the Montgomery County district attorney against Attorney General Kane cannot be understated.
“The multiple allegations of misusing the office – which is directly related to the performance of her duties as Pennsylvania’s chief law enforcement officer – raise serious concerns about her ability to continue to serve the citizens of the Commonwealth, and make it virtually impossible for her to function in her current position.
“While she, like any American, is entitled to due process through our court system and remains innocent until proven guilty, the people of Pennsylvania are also entitled to an Attorney General whose sole focus is on protecting their safety. With drug cartels and a heroin epidemic endangering the lives of our citizens on a daily basis, we cannot afford to have such a distraction impairing the operation of the attorney general’s office.
“It is time Attorney General Kane puts the interests of the people of Pennsylvania before her own. It is time for Ms. Kane to step aside.
“We will be closely monitoring the case as it moves through the courts and weighing our options as a legislative body if there is no other action taken to remove her from office.”
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15 Responses
I think Corbett convicted plenty on both sides of the aisle. If there were more Ds than Rs, it’s probably because more were guilty. Just statistics.
Josh and Unsanctioned R-
I was posting from my cell phone and didn’t really have the opportunity to research it (and I thought someone might know the answer off the top of their heads). I knew it was more Dems than Republicans, but not the count.
This thread’s been pretty dead and Larry’s response listed only three. But, then today, you guys jumped all over me, without providing any facts or doing any research yourselves.
Josh, incorrectly, claimed equal numbers. U.R. didn’t even attempt an answer.
I found one article that stated:
“22 House members and staffers — 13 Democrats and nine Republicans — were convicted or pleaded guilty to charges involving the use of taxpayer resources for political or personal purposes in an investigation that was launched in 2007.”
There was also at least one Dem who was acquitted.
I found the info in an article reporting how Corbett met regularly with campaign aides in the governor’s office.
Yes, Josh. Yes he did ask that question. I think that’s a mulligan.
Did David Diano really ask below how many Republicans former AG Corbett went after? Ya know, Mr Diano, you’d think after all the political comments you post online that you’d be into research. After all, making blatantly silly assertions just makes people lose respect for you. To answer your question, former AG Corbett went after a bunch of Republicans. An equal number to that of the Democrats, I think, probably to make his point that the AG isn’t supposed to be so partisan as Kane has been. Wolf stood by Kane til the very end. Sad.
What a break for the Patriot-News. Three days to come up with a headline.
Is this PoliticsPA’s lame attempt to bury the lede that Governor Wolf called for her head?
OBserVER,
Is that you Busta, Platinum, Copper? I think it is. Come on give us a porn rant.
So, slimeball Seth Williams found it necessary to make a statement. Surprise surprise. It’s time that he stop trying to make a path for himself to the Attorney General’s office– because Seth, it ain’t happening.
David, to answer your first question, I refer you to Perzell, Feese, and Rosepink to begin with. And from working in the Capitol, I promise you that the Dem leadership will be the first to admit that they have members who are far more likely to get prosecuted for that kind of corruption, if only because they are sloppy and not terribly bright.
BTW, it wasn’t just the prosecutors sending “racy” (ie highly pornographic) pictures to each other, but also to judges they could face.
Larry-
How many corrupt Republicans did Corbett go after?
Any other person in that office (hell, even Preate) would resign now. Kane, however, is someone who lives only to strike out at political rivals and has no sense of what is best for the public or the Office.
David, other than some frat boy prosecutors sending racy emails to each other, how was the Attorney General’s Office dishonorable under Corbett? They prosecuted a nationally watched case and got an overwhelming conviction on dozens of counts against a child predator. They defended constitutional challenges to statutes without regard to the political ramifications. They went after companies that ripped off consumers. All without the controversies that have marked Kane’s tenure. People were not leaving the office in droves under Corbett. Under Kane, her own hand-picked Democratic staffers have left in droves. So, do tell the basis of your opinion.
Does Governor Wolf have ability to fire District Attorney Seth Williams and half of Philadelphia for corruption and criminal felonies against the people? They have done much much worse. Crimes that had led to the death and destruction of innocent people.
Stick it out Kathleen. You can beat the rap.
“have caused severe damage to the integrity of the Office of the Attorney General” ??? Really??? Was there any integrity left after Corbett was done?