| Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|
 Seal of the attorney general of Pennsylvania | |
since January 17, 2023 | |
| Appointer | Direct popular vote |
| Term length | Four years |
| Formation | 1683 |
| Salary | $162,000 per year |
| Website | Official website |
The Pennsylvania attorney general is the chief law enforcement officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It became an elected office in 1980.[1] The current attorney general is Democrat Michelle Henry.
On August 15, 2016, then-Attorney General Kathleen Kane was convicted of criminal charges, including conspiracy, perjury, and obstruction of justice,[2][3] and announced her resignation the following day, effective August 17.[4] Consequently, as the Solicitor General, Bruce Castor assumed the office as Acting Attorney General.[5] Governor Tom Wolf nominated Bruce Beemer to serve out the remaining balance of Kane's term which expired in January 2017. Democrat Josh Shapiro succeeded Beemer. Shapiro was elected governor in 2022, and appointed Michelle Henry as his successor in 2023. Henry was confirmed by the Pennsylvania Senate in her own right later that year.
- ^ Penn. Const. Art. 4, § 4.1
- ^ Dale, Maryclaire (16 August 2016). "Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane Found Guilty on All Charges in Perjury Trial". Associated Press. NBC 10 Philadelphia. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
- ^ Bidgood, Jess (16 August 2016). "Pennsylvania's Attorney General Is Convicted on All Counts". New York Times. New York Times. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
- ^ Susannah Cullinane; Ralph Ellis. "Pennsylvania attorney general resigning". cnn.com.
- ^ Bumsted, Brad, (19 July 2016), "Castor Next In Line to Be Pennsylvania Attorney General[dead link]", Pittsburgh Tribune Review, Accessed September 20, 2016.