Add Robert P. Kane to list of prominent York County politicos
Robert P. Kane, former Pennsylvania attorney general, should be added to the list of political luminaries hailing from York County.
A couple of posts ago, I put forth such a list connected to York businessman Tom Wolf’s interest in Pennsylvania’s state treasurer’s post.
I asked for additions or corrections, and Barbara Wills, former Central school director and a candidate for a state legislative seat in the early 1990s, recalled that Kane served in the Shapp administration in the 1970s… .
Kane, Dickinson Law School graduate, served as administrative assistant to Congressman Neiman Craley Jr. when the Democrat gained the seat in the election of 1964. (That came, in part, because of the Dem tsunami spawned by GOP presidential candidate Barry Goldwater’s unpopularity. At any rate Craley served one term, making him the only Democrat from York County in Congress from the 1950s to today. Kane was part of that moment.)
The York Catholic graduate connected with Milton J. Shapp’s campaign in 1966 and directed Shapp’s campaign statewide in 1974. He served as state Secretary of Revenue from 1971-74 before becoming attorney general in 1975.
Kane’s work as attorney general made the news this year. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on Kane’s 1975 opinion holding that it was unconstitutional to require state employees to take a loyalty oath.
Any other political luminaries that we’re missing?
