You can bet the editors were just itching to run this one: “Lawyer Invokes Porn as Pennsylvania AG Is Ordered to Trial.” I wish I could say Bloomberg must be cringing about the 600,000 dollars he donated to her campaign, but the fact is he already got what he wanted out of her, and Kane’s reciprocity take backs are unlikely to be overturned by any future successor, at least until we can have an election. What’s unbelievable to me is that she refuses to resign. Even Governor Wolf is calling on her to resign.
For those of you who haven’t been following, Kathy Kane’s defense has essentially been this whole indictment thing is just a “stealth political weapon” to get back at her for exposing various high-ranking state employees sharing tasteless jokes and porn via state e-mail, including former Democratic Supreme Court Justice Seamus McCaffery.
Even if it is, so what? You shouldn’t get immunity from a serious crime just because your accusers are your enemies.
At best, a pox on both their houses.
You don’t resign office because that resignation is something you can use to get a good deal. Plenty of elected officials have used their positions to bargain their way out of jail. Jesse Jackson, Jr was facing five years but easily won reelection to Congress. Part of the much lighter deal he received involved him giving up his seat, and the US Attorney was not shy about admitting it.
Most states are like the federal in this case; it’s pretty hard to get rid of an elected official. It’s the same for other constitutional offices. For instance, a sitting member of Congress cannot be stopped (arrested or held) while Congress is in session, if they say they are going to vote. I am not even sure Hillary! can be indicted once she is the official nominee of the DNC (don’t have time to verify that one right now – maybe someone else knows).
The US does not have a lot of explicit immunities, but the founders were wary of a government that could simply charge and imprison those who would use democracy to counter its power. So if you are elected into a position mentioned in a constitution, you are pretty well locked in.
As Rod Blagojevich once said, “I got this thing and it’s f**cking golden.”
No way Kane walks before making some kind of deal.
It’s another day, time for another surreal headline!
Pennsylvania AG, Facing Trial for Perjury, Uses Twin Sister as Courthouse Decoy
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2015/08/25/kathleen_kane_trial_pennsylvania_attorney_general_charged_with_grand_jury.html
You don’t resign office because that resignation is something you can use to get a good deal. Plenty of elected officials have used their positions to bargain their way out of jail. Jesse Jackson, Jr was facing five years but easily won reelection to Congress. Part of the much lighter deal he received involved him giving up his seat, and the US Attorney was not shy about admitting it.
I wonder if Kathy Kane is aware of this…
No, seriously.
Her other moves, as reported here, make me wonder if she has that level of practical political knowledge.
Based on recent events, I think you might be right. It appears her grip on sanity is somewhat unhinged.
Just sitting back to watch. Where did I leave that popcorn…?