Pa. attorney general charged with perjury, obstructing justice

John Bacon | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Pennsylvania AG faces criminal charges Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane was charged Thursday with leaking secret grand jury information and lying about her actions under oath. The charges were announced by a district attorney in suburban Philadelphia. (Aug. 6)

Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane, once a rising star in the state's Democratic Party, was charged Thursday with leaking grand jury information and then lying under oath to hide her involvement.

Kane is the nation's second attorney general to be criminally charged this week. On Monday, Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was charged with securities fraud.

Kane, 49, was charged with perjury, conspiracy, obstructing justice, official oppression and false swearing stemming from an investigation that began more than a year ago. Her driver, Patrick Reese, was charged with aiding the cover-up.

"Kane orchestrated the leak ... to the media through a political operative for the purpose of retaliating against former state prosecutors whom she believed had embarrassed her in the press," Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said. She added that Kane "undertook these actions seeking vengeance and retribution against other law enforcement professionals."

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf called for Kane to resign, saying the charges would interfere with her ability to perform her duties.

Kane, who now faces a court appearance within days, released a statement saying she was "disappointed" that Ferman decided to pursue the case against her. She denied the charges and pledged not to resign. In 2012, Kane became the first Democrat and first woman to hold the state post since it became an elected office in 1980.

"A resignation would be an admission of guilt," Kane said. "I'm not guilty."

The investigation began after the Philadelphia Daily News published an article about allegations of misuse of funds by a former NAACP official. The article included information from a 2009 grand jury probe into the official, who was never charged.

In December, a state grand jury recommended that charges be brought against Kane for leaking the information. The case was sent to Ferman for review.

Kane has acknowledged releasing the information but denied breaking any laws. And she says she will seek re-election in 2016.

Ferman said the investigation is continuing, and more people could be charged in the case.