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HARRISBURG — The first in a series of public hearings that could result in the unprecedented ouster of the state’s top prosecutor began Monday as a trio of county district attorneys testified that their licenses to practice law were essential to their official duties.
State Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Lehman Township, is one of seven members named to the bipartisan Special Committee on Senate Address tasked with determining whether embattled Attorney General Kathleen Kane, a Democrat, can effectively carry out the job’s responsibilities with a suspended law license.
The state Supreme Court on Oct. 22 suspended Kane’s law license following allegations she leaked secret grand jury information to the Philadelphia Daily News in order to embarrass a critic and then lied about it while under oath. She faces charges in Montgomery County of perjury, false swearing, and obstructing the administration of law.
If the fact-finding panel determines Kane can’t perform her duties, it could recommend to the Senate that she be removed from office. The pursuit of Kane’s potential dismissal is permitted under Article 6, Section 7 of the state constitution, according to a Senate news release.
State Sen. John Gordner, panel chairman, said panelists wanted to hear from the district attorneys because they often dealt with Kane, whose office has the power to handle cases at the request of a county prosecutor who might be hindered by insufficient resources or other limitations.
“Obviously you on a weekly basis have relations with the attorney general’s office in regard to prosecution and regard to conflict referrals and we would like to hear from you in regard to the relationship of that as it currently exists,” said Gordner, R-Columbia County.
Baker, seated among six of the panel’s seven members Monday afternoon at the state Capitol Building, asked the three testifiers whether a suspended law license would restrict them from being able to perform their duties.
“I’m in the courtroom everyday,” said Somerset County DA Lisa Lazzari-Strasiser, a Democrat, explaining she didn’t believe she’d be able to do her job under those conditions.
Republican David Heckler, DA of Bucks County, also said he thought his job would be impeded by such a suspension, and Berks County DA John T. Adams echoed the testimony offered by his colleagues.
“Would I be able to function? Not me,” said Adams, a Democrat. “I’m involved every day. I would be totally ineffective and basically, I would be on a permanent vacation if I didn’t have a law license. I’m not going to be able to do my job.”
Kane’s camp has decried the suspension, claiming she was denied proper due process under the law.
Kane spokesman Chuck Ardo noted the state Supreme Court explicitly left her in office as it suspended her license.
“Today’s hearing may have revealed part of the reason,” Ardo said. “And that is that there are still more questions than answers in this unprecedented venture.”
A former assistant district attorney in Lackawanna County, Kane, 49, has refused to comply with the panel since the suspension of her license, claiming they lack the jurisdiction to obtain documents from her office. She told her staff last month that some 98 percent of her job wouldn’t be affected by the suspension.
Gordner said the committee on Friday served Kane with a subpoena seeking information about how the attorney general’s office is currently operating, including its decision-making process given Kane’s status.
He said the committee’s next meeting will likely be next week and deal with a section of the constitution about a removal “by the governor for reasonable cause, after due notice and full hearing, on the address of two-thirds of the Senate.”
Aside from Baker and Gordner, fellow panel members include Sens. Gene Yaw, R-Lycoming County; Judith Schwank, D-Berks County; Sean Wiley, D-Erie County; and Arthur Haywood, D-Montgomery County. Senate President Pro Tempore Sen. Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson County, is the panel’s ex officio member.
The committee is expected to present its full findings to the Senate by Nov. 25.
The Associated Press contibuted to this report.