Report: Pennsylvania AG Kathleen Kane is now facing an FBI inquiry

The Federal Bureau of “Reaching Out” has launched an inquiry into Pennsylvania AG Kathleen Kane, says the Philadelphia Inquirer. Just two weeks ago, Kane was charged under state law for perjury, obstruction of justice, and abuse of office. The Inquirer says the federal probe is looking into additional wrongdoing:

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The agents sought information about whether Kane suggested to union officials that she would look favorably on their contract if they supported her embattled chief of staff, sources said.

Investigators have also sought information about a trip Kane and several aides took to Haiti last year, and how it was paid for, according to the sources.

The chief of staff referred to above is Jonathan Duecker, who was accused of multiple unwanted sexual advances on women in the AG’s office. Kane allegedly agreed to give a Fraternal Order of Police lodge, which represented one of the accusers, preferential treatment in contract negotiations if the FOP would give Duecker a statement of support. The FOP declined and its contract lapsed. In June, Kane fired the director of labor relations who told her not to hire Duecker.

Kane’s spokesman says the trip to Haiti was a charity trip paid for by Kane and her aides. The Haiti trip is noteworthy because when the state grand jury was originally investigating Kane, witnesses testified that it was during that trip that Kane asked an assistant to deliver a sealed package to a Democratic political consultant. The assistant, who later quit the AG’s office, says he did not know what was in the package, which turned out to contain secret grand jury documents that Kane had asked the consultant to leak to the press in order to embarrass a district attorney that Kane thought was out to get her.

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Kane was supposed to be the Democrats’ great big hope for Pennsylvania. Happily, the state now looks ripe for picking off in 2016. Kane’s preliminary hearing in her (state) criminal trial is Monday.

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