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Pennsylvania’s first female attorney general convicted of all nine counts of perjury and obstruction

Posted at 10:22 PM, Aug 15, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-15 22:27:34-04

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s attorney general has been convicted of all nine counts in a perjury and obstruction case related to a grand jury leak.

Attorney General Kathleen Kane showed little emotion as jurors announced their verdict late Monday.

The jurors agreed the first-term Democrat leaked information about a 2009 grand jury probe to embarrass a rival prosecutor.

Prosecutors say Kane orchestrated a cover-up of the leak and lied to a grand jury about it.

Two former top aides testified against Kane and said they helped get the documents to the reporter.

Kane did not testify or put on any defense witnesses. Her lawyers say she is the victim of an “old-boys network” that shared pornography on state government computers.

Pennsylvania’s governor is renewing his call for the state’s attorney general to resign now that she’s been convicted of all nine charges against her in a perjury and obstruction case related to a grand jury leak.

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf calls it a “sad day” for Pennsylvania after Monday night’s verdict. He says “there should be no question” that Democrat Kathleen Kane should resign immediately.

Kane is the first Democrat and first woman elected to the office. She has vowed to appeal.

Jurors agreed with prosecutors Kane leaked information about a 2009 grand jury probe to embarrass a rival prosecutor.

Kane doesn’t have to resign immediately. She’s not running for a second term. A new attorney general will be elected in November and sworn in Jan. 17.