Kane tries to limit questions at Wednesday court appearance

Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane is expected to appear in a Dauphin County court Wednesday, but not in connection with the criminal case against her.

She’s being called to testify at the pretrial hearing in the corruption case against state Rep. Louise Bishop, D-Philadelphia. The Office of Attorney General filed a motion to quash the subpoena issued to Kane, requesting that she not be asked about “confidential deliberations of law or policymaking.”

“I think the general is always concerned that comments she may make may affect other cases she may be involved with,” said office spokesman Chuck Ardo.

Kane is fighting perjury and other charges filed against her. She also faces at least three lawsuits from former staffers claiming retaliation or defamation.

Bishop is one of six current or former public officials brought up on bribery charges and other counts in connection with an undercover sting orchestrated by the state attorney general’s office. All of the defendants are black.

Kane called the case racist and doomed to fail in public statements she made after a Philadelphia Inquirer report revealed she had shut down the sting.

Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams picked up the case and brought charges against Bishop, four other Philadelphia lawmakers, and one former Philadelphia Traffic Court judge.

Kane was charged in August with lying under oath about what prosecutors say was a scheme to leak secret investigative material to the press for the purpose of exacting revenge on her detractors.

A unanimous vote in the state Senate last week began a formal process to consider Kane’s removal from office. A hearing in that matter has been scheduled for January. Kane has called the process unconstitutional.