PA Senate Names Members for Kane Committee

State Senator John Gordner from Columbia County will chair the committee.

The committee will issue a written report and recommendation to the full senate in 30 days. The rule prohibits attorneys with suspended licenses from “performing any law-related activity for a law firm, organization or lawyer” with which they were associated at the time of the suspension.

Kane, who is fighting the charges, has said she is innocent.

The attorney for a member of Kathleen Kane’s security detail was in court today, arguing charges against his client, Patrick Reese, should be dropped.

Kane, for her part, has declared her intent to remain in office despite the license suspension, and has determined that she can perform the vast majority of her duties without interruption.

The members are Gordner and fellow Republicans Gene Yaw, of Lycoming County, and Lisa Baker, of Luzerne County, and Democrats Art Haywood, of Philadelphia, Judy Schwank, of Berks County, and Sean Wiley, of Erie County.

If the panel recommends the use of a constitutional provision to remove an elected official, two-thirds approval by the Senate and agreement by Gov. Tom Wolf would be required to take the action.

Scarnati, of Jefferson, and Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa, D-Allegheny, each appointed three committee members, with Scarnati attached as an ex-officio member.

The new review, as sanctioned by the state Constitution, will be tightly focused on whether that change in Kane’s status significantly impairs her ability to carry out her personal duties or the function of the Attorney General’s office.

Kane either can’t do the job we elected her to do – including making key decisions on which cases to pursue and how – or she has to violate the law to do it. That’s an untenable position. Schwank’s statement, Costa said, did not amount to a strong opinion that Kane should resign but rather was an expression of concern.