AG Kathleen Kane ordered to stand trial

I was reading in the papers about Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman, who gave an assessment of all the wrongdoing that Attorney General Kathleen Kane is alleged to have done.

After [Kane entered] the courtroom, photographers and reporters waiting outside in the hallway griped about only getting shots of the attorney general’s twin sister.

Pennsylvania attorney general Kathleen Kane faces perjury and obstruction charges for allegedly leaking grand jury information to discredit a political rival.

In responding to criminal charges filed against her, Kane and her attorneys have said the emails exchanged between current and former staffers and other state officials would be an important part of her defense.

In retaliation, prosecutors say, Kane revealed to the Philadelphia Daily News details of grand jury proceedings in a 2009 case led by Fina.

Shargel argued accusations Kane used her position to smear a former Philadelphia NAACP head’s reputation were moot because the man had already been the subject of negative newspaper articles. Shargel said Mondesire couldn’t lose his reputation a second time.

Kane’s top aide who is charged with illegally accessing emails to get information on the grand jury probe of her will remain on the job, despite a state code that requires he be suspended without pay. She’s also accused of lying to a grand jury about her involvement.

Circumstances have changed with respect to the Right-To-Know requests now under appeal by the OAG’s office to Commonwealth Court.

Fina, reached by phone, declined to comment on Shargel’s argument. “This is not a press conference”, she said.

A Supreme Court spokesman said Tuesday that he had not been made aware of Kane’s statement before it was released, but would look into the issue. A hearing in that case has been scheduled for September 16.