Kane Back in Court Today
Pa. Attorney General Kathleen Kane is going back to court this today — this time to challenge a judge’s inquiry into her firing of a key staffer.
Judge William Carpenter is overseeing a grand jury investigation into allegations that Kathleen Kane’s office leaked secret information. He thinks she may have fired her deputy, James Barker, because of his testimony in the case.
That might violate a protective order that covers grand jury witnesses. Carpenter assembled the three-judge panel to hear whether she could be charged with “indirect contempt of court,” but Kane’s lawyers filed motions challenging the proceeding.
They want Carpenter to recuse himself, saying he’s biased against Kane, and they say his order barring retaliation expired before Barker was fired. In any case, Kane says Barker’s firing wasn’t retaliation.
The hearing is expected to get under way this morning.
