Pressure Mounts For Kane To Resign Following Criminal Charges

By Andrew Staub | PA Independent

Hell no, Kathleen Kane won’t go.

Pennsylvania’s embattled attorney general remained defiant Thursday, even after Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman filed criminal charges against Kane and accused her of embarking upon a revenge-fueled war against former state prosecutors she believed embarrassed her in the media.

The latest development in Kane’s rocky tenure renewed calls for her to step down, including one request from Gov. Tom Wolf, but the state’s top law enforcement officer stuck to past indications she won’t resign, despite now being placed in the awkward position of also being a criminal defendant.

“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,” Kane said in a statement. “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.”

According to Ferman, Kane leaked confidential grand jury information and then lied to cover up her retaliatory actions. She was charged with perjury, false swearing, obstruction, official oppression and criminal conspiracy.

Wolf issued a statement that cast doubt upon Kane’s ability to do her job while facing criminal charges.

“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,” Wolf said.

Michael Bekesha, an attorney for the watchdog group Judicial Watch, said it’s time for Kane put aside her personal interests and resign for the good of the office.

“That’s really what she should do, and that’s really the only course of action that makes sense,” he said.

The charges present practical problems, Bekesha said. Kane will have to spend time outside the office preparing her defense, and her personal legal problems could give outside attorneys access to internal files that normally are not available, Bekesha said.

It’s also easy to see the perception problems resulting from the charges, Bekesha said. When she took office, Kane placed her hand on the Bible and swore to support, obey and defend the state and U.S. constitutions. Now, she’s charged with breaking several state laws, all while in office.

Ferman, a veteran prosecutor who is also running for county judge, echoed those thoughts in her statement about the charges and said “no one is above the law.”

“A prosecutor has the responsibility of a minister of justice. When someone entrusted with the solemn obligation to uphold the law deliberately violates the same laws she is sworn to uphold, we are all victims of this breach of the public trust,” Ferman said. “When an elected official betrays the confidence and trust placed in her by the public, we must do everything in our power to hold her accountable.”

Bekesha expects the charges will rekindle state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe’s efforts to impeach Kane.

The Butler County Republican earlier this summer crafted an updated impeachment resolution. It cites Kane’s refusal to defend the state’s ban on gay marriage, her decision to shut down a sting operation that snared several elected officials in Philadelphia and a grand jury’s previous recommendation she face criminal charges.

Watchdog has also reported on Kane’s decision to close a case in which the mayor of Reading funneled parts of a $30,000 campaign contribution from a trade union to two Philadelphia City Council campaigns.

Now that Ferman has made the charges official, Metcalfe said he’ll have to update the resolution again. He said the House should proceed with the impeachment process, but thinks Ferman’s criminal case will bring a quicker resolution. Conduct rules could also allow the state Supreme Court to act on Kane’s law license, Metcalfe said.

“Even if she won’t resign, there’s a way to ensure the interests of Pennsylvanians are protected,” he said.

The criminal charges, for now, represent the nadir of Kane’s political career. She was once seen as a rising star after becoming the first elected female attorney general, but her tenure has been pock-marked by a parade of controversies and reports of an office fraught with internal drama.

While Kane will have her day in court, Bekesha said the fact a grand jury recommended criminal charges and a prosecutor decided to file them has already caused plenty of damage.

“That’s troubling in itself,” Bekesha said. “And the fact that Attorney General Kane won’t take any responsibility and do what’s right for the commonwealth is troubling as well.”