Pa. Judiciary Committee Recommends Approval Of Linda Kelly As Attorney General

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) - The state Senate Judiciary Committee has recommended Senate approval of western Pennsylvania prosecutor Linda Kelly (pictured, left) to be the state's next attorney general.

Linda Kelly served as a prosecutor with Governor Tom Corbett when he was US Attorney for western Pennsylvania. If confirmed as attorney general, she would oversee a government corruption investigation started by Corbett which has made heavy use of grand juries. During questioning by members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, she was not asked about the corruption probe, but was asked if she intended to make use of grand juries.

"I think grand juries are a very useful tool to investigators and to law enforcement," Kelly said. "And in whatever way, shape or form grand juries can be utilized to enforce the laws of Pennsylvania and to develop investigations and to develop cases, then I would be a proponent of that."

Kelly also says she believes Governor Corbett knew she would be independent when he nominated her to succeed him (see related story). That nomination now goes to the full Senate for a vote.

Reported by Harrisburg Bureau Chief Tony Romeo, KYW Newsradio 1060