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Vote to Remove Kane from Office Falls Short

HARRISBURG — A vote by the Pennsylvania Senate to remove Attorney General Kathleen Kane from office fell four votes short. Kane, a Scranton native, is acc...

HARRISBURG -- A vote by the Pennsylvania Senate to remove Attorney General Kathleen Kane from office fell four votes short.

Kane, a Scranton native, is accused of leaking secret grand jury testimony and then lying about it under oath.

The vote on the resolution was 29 to 19.

The state senate used a provision called "direct removal" to try to oust her, claiming Kane has been unable to function as attorney general since her license to practice law was suspended last year.

Even though most state senators voted in favor of removing Kathleen Kane from office, the Republican-led senate could not muster the two thirds majority needed to make it happen.

Senators voted mainly along party lines. All but one of the Republicans in the state senate voted in favor of Kane from office. They argued she cannot do her job effectively without her license to practice law.

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Democrats in the senate called the direct removal process flawed, something that should have been used only when an elected official is physically or mentally unable to do the job.

Shortly after the vote, senate Republican leaders simply said the vote needed to be taken.

"We didn't ask for this. This is something the Supreme Court put in our hands when they suspended her license," said Sen. Jake Corman, (R) Centre County. "For now, we made our vote and it's time to move on."

Almost all Democratic senators, including John Blake of Lackawanna County, voted no, saying this process denied the attorney general a fair hearing.

"If this is something that has to happen, let it happen through the impeachment process for which there are clear standards of conduct and how that work. There are really no standards of conduct for what we just came through," said Sen. John Blake, (D) Lackawanna County.

Almost all Democratic senators, including John Blake of Lackawanna County, voted no, saying this process denied the attorney general a fair hearing.

"If this is something that has to happen, let it happen through the impeachment process for which there are clear standards of conduct and how that work. There are really no standards of conduct for what we just came through," said Sen. John Blake, (D) Lackawanna County.

Kathleen Kane was not at the capitol, spending the day working out of her office in Scranton.

Kane issued the following statement:

"Today is a good day for all those who share my desire to restore confidence in our judges and prosecutors and integrity to our system of justice. Special Prosecutor Gansler will press on, leaving no hate-filled email unread and no ex parte communication uncovered, in our effort to deliver to all Pennsylvanians, the system of justice we deserve rather than the one we now have. I am happy to continue this effort, finish the mission I pledged to carry out and the job for which I was elected to serve."

Last week, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld its decision to suspend her law license.

The attorney general still faces impeachment proceedings in the state house, and a criminal trial set for August in Montgomery County where she is charged with perjury.

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