The Volokh Conspiracy

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Crime

Former Pennsylvania attorney general Kathleen Kane sentenced to prison

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Former Pennsylvania attorney general Kathleen Kane. (Dan Gleiter/PennLive.com via Associated Press)

Last year, we pondered whether one could still serve as a state's attorney general if no longer authorized to practice law. The occasion was the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's decision to suspend the law license of then-Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane. We've come a long way since then, as now Kane is on her way to jail.

Kane rose to prominence as the first woman and first Democrat to be elected Pennsylvania AG. Her star shined bright, but only for an instant. She leaked confidential grand jury information concerning a political opponent and was subsequently charged with obstruction of justice and perjury. A jury found her guilty in August, and today a judge sentenced her to 10 to 23 months imprisonment for her crimes.