HARRISBURG, Pa. _ Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane, who was convicted Monday of perjury and other crimes, will resign Wednesday.
In announcing her intention to step down, Kane, 50, the state's first woman and first Democrat elected to the office, said only: "I have been honored to serve the people of Pennsylvania and I wish them health and safety in all their days."
On Monday, after 4 { hours of deliberation, a jury of six men and six women found Kane guilty of two counts of perjury and seven misdemeanor counts of abusing the powers of her office.
Prosecutors convinced jurors that Kane orchestrated the illegal leak of secret grand jury documents to plant a newspaper story critical of a former state prosecutor whom she considered her nemesis, Frank Fina. Kane then lied about her actions under oath, the jury found.
Her sentencing has been scheduled for Oct. 24 in Norristown.
Under the state Constitution, Kane would have been required to resign on the day of her sentencing. But legislators made it clear Monday night that if she did not step down before that time, they would take steps to remove her from office.
In a statement, Gov. Tom Wolf, who for months has urged Kane to leave office, said: "What has transpired with Attorney General Kane is unfortunate. Her decision to resign is the right one, and will allow the people of Pennsylvania to finally move on from this situation."
He also said he would work with the state Senate "regarding any potential appointment of an attorney general."
Officials at the attorney general's office said that once Kane's resignation goes into effect Wednesday, Bruce Castor, her second-in-command, will become acting attorney general. Castor is the former district attorney in Montgomery County and a former Montgomery County commissioner.
Kane hired him earlier this year as her office's solicitor general, giving him broad powers. She later promoted him to become first deputy attorney general.
