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Democrats walk out of Kane impeachment hearing

State Representative Daryl Metcalfe (R) 12th District is sponsoring the resolution that calls for the impeachment of Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane...

State Representative Daryl Metcalfe (R) 12th District is sponsoring the resolution that calls for the impeachment of Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane.

Tuesday the House State Government Committee held a hearing to review the resolution.

Democratic members of the state House committee walked out of the hearing.

Prior to the hearing Representative Mark Cohen (D) 202nd District sent a letter to Metcalfe, asking him to cancel the hearing. At the beginning of the hearing Cohen, who serves as the Democratic Chairman, of the House State Government Committee, asked for the hearing to be adjourned. The motion was denied 11-10.

That’s when things heated up. Metcalfe called in security to remove Representative Mike O’Brien (D) 175th District after he interrupted the hearing. As security closed in all of the Democratic members stood up and left in protest.

“This was nothing more than a sham, and a kangaroo court, and a waste of the taxpayers money,” said Rep. O’Brien.

Remaining Republican members heard testimony from people chosen by Rep. Metcalfe: Michael Bekesha, Attorney with Judicial Watch, Joshua Prince, Esq. with Firearms Industry Consulting Group, James Clymer, Esq. with Clymer, Musser & Conrad, P.C. and J. Christian Adams, with the policy board of the American Civil Liberties Union.

Metcalfe says Kane broke the law by refusing to defend Pennsylvania’s ban on same-sex marriage. Kane says it’s unconstitutional.

Metcalfe also questions Kane’s decision not to prosecute four Democratic State Lawmakers allegedly recorded accepting bribes.

Kane said the investigation was flawed, and the lawmakers were racially targeted.

“When you have an elected official in office, that disregards the law that she has sworn to uphold, who disregards the constitution that she has sworn to uphold, then that is an important matter that needs to be discussed,” said Rep. Metcalfe.

Rep. Cohen disagrees. “We do not impeach people for policy differences. Elections decide police differences.”

Rep. Cohen says as the first ever elected Democratic Attorney General in the state, obviously there are differences between her and her republican predecessors. “Democrats have strong policy disagreements with Governor Corbett, we are not introducing impeachment resolutions for Governor Corbett,” said Rep. Cohen.

Metcalfe believes Kane’s actions are more than just policy disagreements. He feels she is breaking the law and jeopardizing the public’s trust. “If the Chief Law Enforcement for the state if violating that rule of law, ignoring the statutes and violating the constitution, what respect will they have for the law, and what confidence will they have that they will be protected from other law breakers in the state,” said Rep. Metcalfe.

“I hope that this hearing sends a message to the Attorney General that the legislature will ultimately take control of the situation and hold her accountable,” said Rep. Metcalfe.

Rep. Metcalfe says he plans to make some amendments to the resolution. The resolution would need to get committee passage before moving to the Full House for consideration.

Metcalfe did not invite Kane to testify. Her office did not respond to requests for comment.

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