9312 - Preliminary investigation.
§ 9312. Preliminary investigation. (a) Preliminary investigation with respect to certain covered persons.--The General Counsel shall appoint a special investigative counsel to conduct a preliminary investigation in accordance with this chapter whenever the General Counsel receives information sufficient to constitute grounds to investigate whether any person described in subsection (c) may have committed any of the following: (1) An offense which is classified higher than a misdemeanor of the second degree. (2) An offense which is classified higher than a summary offense and which involves a breach of the public trust. This paragraph includes a violation of the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, or the act of October 4, 1978 (P.L.883, No.170), referred to as the Public Official and Employee Ethics Law. (b) Preliminary investigation with respect to persons not listed in subsection (c).--The Attorney General shall request the General Counsel to appoint a special investigative counsel to conduct a preliminary investigation under the jurisdiction established or conferred under section 205(b) of the act of October 15, 1980 (P.L.950, No.164), known as the Commonwealth Attorneys Act, and where the Attorney General determines that an investigation or prosecution of the person, with respect to the information received, by the Attorney General or other officer of the Attorney General's office may result in a personal, financial or political conflict of interest. In addition, the Attorney General may request the General Counsel to appoint a special investigative counsel to conduct a preliminary investigation where the Attorney General determines that an investigation or prosecution of the person, with respect to the information received, by the Attorney General or other officer of the Attorney General's office may result in a personal, financial or political conflict of interest. (c) Persons to whom subsection (a) applies.--The persons referred to in subsection (a) are as follows: (1) The Attorney General, any Deputy Attorney General or any individual working in the Attorney General's office who is defined as a "public employee" under the Public Official and Employee Ethics Law. (2) Any individual who leaves any office or position described in paragraph (1) during the incumbency of the Attorney General with or under whom such individual served in the office or position, plus one year after such incumbency, but in no event longer than a period of three years after the individual leaves the office or position. (3) Any individual who held an office or position described in paragraph (1) during the incumbency of one Attorney General and who continued to hold the office or position for not more than 90 days into the term of the next Attorney General, during the one-year period after the individual leaves the office or position. (4) The chairman and treasurer of the principal campaign committee seeking the election or reelection of the Attorney General, and any officer of that committee exercising authority at the State level, during the incumbency of the elected Attorney General. (d) Examination of information to determine need for preliminary investigation.--In determining under subsection (a) whether grounds to investigate exist, the General Counsel shall consider only the specificity of the information received and the credibility of the source of the information. The General Counsel shall determine whether grounds to investigate exist no later than 30 days after the information is first received. If within that 30-day period the General Counsel determines that the information is not specific or is not from a credible source, then the General Counsel shall close the matter. If within that 30-day period the General Counsel determines that the information is specific and from a credible source, the General Counsel shall, upon making that determination, appoint a special investigative counsel to commence a preliminary investigation with respect to that information. If the General Counsel is unable to determine within that 30-day period whether the information is specific and from a credible source, the General Counsel shall at the end of that 30-day period appoint a special investigative counsel to commence a preliminary investigation with respect to that information. If a special investigative counsel is appointed, the special investigative counsel may only accept the appointment when such appointment would not conflict with the rules governing professional conduct. Cross References. Section 9312 is referred to in section 9319 of this title.