Pa. Supreme Court suspends law license of attorney general

Associated Press

HARRISBURG, Pa.

Pennsylvania’s highest court Monday ordered the temporary suspension of state Attorney General Kathleen Kane’s law license, a step that could trigger efforts to remove her from office as she fights perjury, obstruction and other charges.

The unanimous order by the state Supreme Court’s five justices also could prompt a legal challenge from the first-term Democrat.

The one-page decision by the justices – three Republicans and two Democrats – dealt with a petition by state ethics-enforcement lawyers who accused Kane of admitting that she had authorized the release of information that purportedly should have been kept secret. That allegation also is central to the criminal case against her.

In the meantime, it creates the unprecedented situation of leaving the state’s top law-enforcement official in charge of a 750-employee office and a $93 million budget but without the ability to act as a lawyer.

The state constitution requires the attorney general to be a licensed lawyer. But the court said in the order that its action should not be construed as removing her from office, raising the thorny question of how her office will decide which duties she can or cannot do.