HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane today announced that she will resign her position as Attorney General effective at the close of business tomorrow, Aug. 17.
"I have been honored to serve the people of Pennsylvania and I wish them health and safety in all their days," Attorney General Kane said.
Kane was found guilty Monday night of a series of crimes relating to a 2014 grand jury leak.
A Montgomery County jury convicted Kane of perjury, false swearing, obstruction, conspiracy, and official oppression. The six-man, six-woman jury needed just four and a half hours of deliberation after more than a week of testimony and arguments.
On Tuesday, Kane's top deputy, Solicitor General Bruce Castor, announced he would be sworn in as attorney general when Kane resigns Wednesday.
Castor told reporters at a press conference Tuesday that Kane asked him to avoid anything involving her perjury trial since March, and instead, focus on running the attorney general's office.
"I've been learning how to do (this job) more or less for the last five months," Castor said.
Kane, 50, was the first female and Democrat elected Attorney General in Pennsylvania since it became an elected position in 1980. She is the first attorney general since Ernie Preate in 1995 to be convicted of a crime while in office. Preate was charged with federal racketeering and corruption and pleaded guilty to mail fraud. He served a year in federal prison.
Governor Wolf called on Kane to resign immediately after the verdict. Under the law, she would not have to resign until sentencing, which is supposed to take place in next 90 days.
"There are great men and women who work in the Office of the Attorney General," said Michelle Henry, the Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney. "They have had to suffer what this defendant has done, not just to them, but to the citizens of the Commonwealth."
Kane's attorney, Shargel, indicated the jury's decision would be appealed. He hinted at an unfair trial, given numerous pretrial motions to eliminate items of evidence. Most notably, Jude Demchick-Alloy decided less than a week before the trial was set to begin, Kane's team would not be allowed to use the "Porngate" e-mail scandal as part of her defense.
Shargel and his team called no witnesses during the trial.
"We're doing everything we can, and I intend to stay right here," Shargel said after the defeat. "We will keep fighting and keep litigating."