House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

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House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	November 24, 2015 11:53 AM
From:	Representative Garth D. Everett
To:	All House members
Subject:	Authorize the House Judiciary Committee to Investigate the Conduct of Attorney General Kathleen Kane to Determine Impeachment

In the very near future, I will introduce a resolution authorizing the House Judiciary Committee to investigate the conduct of Attorney General Kathleen Kane to determine whether her actions in office merit impeachment. As you are aware, the House of Representatives is charged with the constitutional duty to investigate whether inappropriate conduct by public officials, including the Attorney General, merits impeachment. As I am sure you are also aware, Attorney General Kane has been the subject of a grand jury investigation and subsequently has had several criminal charges filed against her. In the interest of Due Process it is imperative that our effort not interfere with any ongoing criminal proceedings. However, I also believe it is imperative that we fulfill our constitutional oversight responsibility. In 1993, the House of Representatives authorized the House Judiciary Committee to conduct an investigation into whether then-Supreme Court Justice Rolf Larsen should be liable for impeachment. During the investigation, the opportunity was made for the presentation of both incriminating and exculpatory evidence to the committee, so that a reasoned decision could be made concerning whether to recommend the impeachment process go forward. With regard to Attorney General Kane, I believe the House of Representatives should initiate a similar investigation to determine if the House should proceed with Articles of Impeachment. It should be noted that the process that I propose is distinct from the process currently being utilized by the Senate. There, a bipartisan group of senators has been convened as a special committee to determine whether Attorney General Kane should be removed pursuant to a process referred to as “direct address” which is different from the impeachment process. Importantly, the Senate’s initiative is confined to exploring whether the suspension of Attorney General Kane’s law license is sufficient cause for her removal from office. The impeachment process that I propose would not be subject to any such limitation on areas to be investigated. I believe the same deliberate process used to investigate Rolf Larsen now should be utilized with regard to Attorney General Kathleen Kane. I ask that you join me to cosponsor a resolution to authorize the House Judiciary Committee to investigate the conduct of Attorney General Kathleen Kane and to determine whether she should be subject to impeachment. Please contact Chanin Zwing with any questions at 787-5270 or via e-mail at czwing@pahousegop.com.

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