Pennsylvania AG Kathleen Kane suspended from the practice of law

The slow-motion implosion of former Democratic rising star Kathleen Kane continued Monday, as the state supreme court suspended her law license. The suspension is “temporary” insofar as it will continue as long as she’s facing charges for perjury, obstruction of justice, and abuse of office.

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The high court’s decision was unanimous, endorsed by the court’s three Republicans and two Democrats.

Lawyers for the state disciplinary board that oversees lawyers sought the suspension after Kane was charged last month with perjury, obstruction, and other offenses stemming from allegations that she illegally leaked grand jury material and then lied about it under oath.

The board wanted Kane out of power. Its lawyers suggested that stripping Kane of her law license would disqualify her from holding office.

Alas, the high court also noted in its order that it “should not be construed as removing Respondent [Kane] from elected office,” despite a provision of the state constitution which provides that the attorney general must be a member of the Pennsylvania bar. The thinking there is that she remains a member of the bar until disbarred, which is a step beyond this temporary suspension.

Kane has refused to resign, laughably insisting that she is the victim of an “old boys’ network” that is trying to bring her down for being a woman. She issued a statement yesterday claiming that she would not step down because, despite being stripped of the ability to be the state’s chief prosecutor, she can continue to fight “the culture of misogyny and racially/religiously offensive behavior that has permeated law enforcement and members of the judiciary in this commonwealth for years.”

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Kane was curiously silent about combating abusive government officials who leak secret information to Democratic political operatives to use in smear pieces in the local paper.

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Ed Morrissey 10:00 PM | November 22, 2024
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