News Release
For Immediate Release: February 25, 2014
Contact: Diane Gramley 1.814.271.9078 or 1.814.437.5355
In Assisted Suicide Case, AG Kane Says It’s Her Job to Enforce Law — What About Marriage Law?
(Harrisburg) — Yesterday Attorney General Kathleen Kane announced she would not appeal a ruling by Schuylkill County Judge Jacqueline L. Russell which threw out an assisted suicide case. In the Attorney General’s statement announcing her decision, she said it was her job to enforce the law. The American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA) has contacted Attorney General Kane expressing our concerns over her decision to pick and choose the laws she enforces.
“Last July Attorney General Kane announced she would not enforce the lawfully passed Defense of Marriage Act because she had determined on her own that it was unconstitutional. So . . . she defends our assisted suicide law in the recent Mancini case and Judge Russell tosses the case out saying there appeared to be little outside investigation by the AG’s office and much of the case was based on hearsay. The Attorney General’s statement saying she will not appeal the judge’s decision reiterates it’s the AG’s job to enforce the law. Our question is, as she picks and chooses which laws to enforce, which one will she next choose not to enforce?” questioned Diane Gramley, president of the AFA of PA.
Following is the fax sent to the Attorney Generals’ office:
In your statement announcing the decision not to appeal Schuylkill County Judge Jacqueline L. Russell’s ruling to throw out the assisted suicide case involving Barbara Mancini you said it was your job to enforce the law. In a television interview during the 2012 primary campaign for attorney general, you also stated, “The attorney general does not have the right to pick and choose which laws he or she enforces.” You said doing so injects politics into the job and, “That’s a dangerous proposition.”
It is apparent that you do pick and choose which laws you enforce and you have injected politics into your job. By refusing to defend ALL lawfully passed Pennsylvania statutes, including our Defense of Marriage Act, you have politicized your office and created uncertainty in the minds of Pennsylvanians as to which law will be next on your “Do Not Enforce” list.
Is it your job to enforce Pennsylvania law or not?___________
end fax
“One month after Attorney General Kane announced her decision not to defend our Defense of Marriage Act, the assisted suicide group Compassion and Choices specifically pointed to that decision and asked her not to defend our assisted suicide law. It is quite evident that the Attorney General’s office has become politicized and that creates a great uncertainty within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” Gramley further commented.
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