Report: Investigation Recommended Firing Kane’s Chief of Staff

Kathleen Kane. AP | Bradley C. Bower

An internal report has recommended that Attorney General Kathleen Kane fire her new chief of staff over sexual harassment allegations, the Scranton Times-Tribune reports.

The recommendation to dismiss Jonathan A. Duecker was based on a report from Ms. Kane’s internal affairs unit, which detailed claims made by a deputy attorney general and an agent, two sources familiar with the investigation told The Times-Tribune.

Ms. Kane received the report from her Office of Professional Responsibility five days before she announced Mr. Duecker’s promotion, one of the sources said. However, the recommendation to fire Mr. Duecker — which came from the human resources department — was not made until after he was appointed.

Chuck Ardo, spokesman for Ms. Kane, said he could neither confirm nor deny the existence of the report, or whether a recommendation was made to fire Mr. Duecker. He said Ms. Kane has confidence in her acting chief of staff.

“As far as I know, she has no plans to change his status,” he said.

Duecker was hired as chief of staff on April 22.