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Court Suspends Pa. Attorney General Kane's Law License

HARRISBURG, Pa. (KDKA) - Attorney General Kathleen Kane no longer has a license to practice law in Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled on Monday, ordering that she be placed on temporary suspension.

In this court order, however, the court went out of its way to state, "This order should not be construed as removing respondent from elected office and is limited to the temporary suspension of her license to practice law."

The suspension results from charges leveled against Kane by the district attorney of Montgomery County, accusing Kane of leaking secret grand jury information to the media and then lying about it.

Kane has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

In a statement Monday afternoon, Kane said she was disappointed in the suspension but grateful the court recognized her continuing role as attorney general.

But in a not so veiled reference to the pornographic emails sent by senior members of then-Attorney General Tom Corbett's staff whom she believes are framing her, Kane added that she will continue to "root out the culture of misogyny and racially/religiously offensive behavior that has permeated law enforcement and members of the judiciary in this commonwealth for years."

Still, court rules are clear that she cannot act like an attorney.

So while she can continue to run her office administratively, she may be limited in her participation in legal cases, both criminal and civil, brought by her office against others.

That would appear to make First Deputy Attorney General Bruce Beemer the top lawyer in the office.

Beemer, who lives in the North Hills and is a Pitt Law graduate, a veteran prosecutor, serving first under District Attorney Steve Zappala before becoming chief of staff to Attorney General Linda Kelly and then promoted First Deputy under Kane in 2014.

Kane left no doubt that she would continue to run the show, noting in a statement, "The court, in specifically recognizing my continuing authority as attorney general of the commonwealth, today allows me to continue the good works of this office."

In a new statement late Monday, Kane said her office has found more offensive material on government computers from officials, including judges and law enforcement. She said she would release that material.

Sources tell KDKA political editor Jon Delano that Republican leaders are looking at ways to remove Kane, either through impeachment or something called an Article 6 that requires the governor's approval.

All options are open.

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