Democrat enters Pennsylvania AG race

SCRANTON, Pa. (Legal Newsline) - Career prosecutor Kathleen Granahan Kane announced her candidacy for Pennsylvania attorney general on Wednesday.

Kane, a Scranton native, has never before sought elected office. Most of her career has been spent as a prosecutor in the Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office.

Kane, a Democrat, has prosecuted criminals who schemed seniors out of their life savings and led Lackawanna County's first Insurance Fraud Task Force.

Lackawanna County District Attorney Andrew Jarbola praised Kane as an "outstanding" prosecutor with a "tremendous" success rate.

"She was willing to take on difficult cases with a fearless pursuit of justice," he said in a statement. "Pennsylvanians would be well served to have her as Attorney General."

Kane said in a statement that the health and safety of families is her first priority, and that the state needs an attorney general with vast law enforcement experience.

"I have prosecuted thousands of criminals to protect seniors from financial and physical abuse, to guard children from cybercrimes, abuse and pornography, to ensure justice for victims of violent crimes like robbery, murder and assault, and worked with schools to eliminate gangs and drugs," she said.

"As a prosecutor, I was on the front line in fighting crime and understand what works and what needs to be fixed."

Kane said she plans to release her ideas for better public protection and safety, including tougher prosecution, in the coming weeks.

"Pennsylvanians deserve an attorney general who has real prosecutorial experience and a commitment to this job, not a politician," she said.

Also, in 2008, Kane served as the regional volunteer coordinator for now- U.S. Secretary of State's Hillary Clinton's presidential primary campaign in the Northeast.

Kane is a graduate of Scranton public schools, University of Scranton and Temple University School of Law.

She currently resides in Clarks Summit with her husband and two sons, Christopher and Zach.