Report: Grand Jury Says Democratic AG Broke Law In Media Leak Case

Attorney General Kathleen Kane speaks during a news conference Friday, June 27, 2014, at the Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa. Gov. Tom Corbett and Kane announced details of an agreement to allow some Highmark insurance enr... Attorney General Kathleen Kane speaks during a news conference Friday, June 27, 2014, at the Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa. Gov. Tom Corbett and Kane announced details of an agreement to allow some Highmark insurance enrollees under certain conditions to continue using its doctors and facilities at in-network rates under a consent decree filed in court Friday, after a long and bitter fight between the two western Pennsylvania health care giants. (AP Photo/Marc Levy) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

A Pennsylvania grand jury on Thursday recommended charges against state Attorney General Kathleen Kane (D) for allegedly leaking materials to the press from an old grand jury investigation, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

The grand jury decided that there was evidence to suggest that Kane, a Democratic rising star, leaked secret grand jury information to the Philadelphia Daily News about a 2009 investigation into the financial affairs of J. Whyatt Mondesire, who was the head of the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP at the time. The panel concluded that Kane shared the grand jury information in an attempt to embarrass political rivals.

Sources told the Inquirer that the grand jury returned what is called a presentment — not an indictment — that recommended charges of perjury and contempt of court against Kane. Kane testified to the jury that she did authorize the release of some materials to the Daily News, but she denies that she shared secret information related to the grand jury investigation.

A special prosecutor has been investigating Kane’s role in the leak. The grand jury’s recommendation now goes to state district attorney for a decision on whether to prosecute. The Inquirer reported that process “could take several months.”

The judge who approved the grand jury investigation into Kane, the special prosecutor who handled the investigation, and the district attorney deciding whether to prosecute Kane are all Republicans.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for sjk sjk says:

    That was easy.

  2. Caitlin! More stories about fat Democrats who can’t get off the toilet!!

  3. Evidence suggests that Kane did something illegal?

    And the GJ wants charges based on a suggestion?

    What a politically-motivated crock-o-shit.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

13 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for docrock Avatar for jasonsrobot Avatar for avattoir Avatar for Robman2 Avatar for bradbennett Avatar for Lacuna-Synecdoche Avatar for sniffit Avatar for jrlentini Avatar for theghostofeustacetilley Avatar for captaincommonsense Avatar for sufi66 Avatar for ronbyers Avatar for jaybeeraybee Avatar for thunderclapnewman Avatar for sjk

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: