[naviga:h3]AG’s office resists paying for report[/naviga:h3]

HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office is resisting paying the bill from outside lawyers who investigated the swapping of sexually explicit and offensive material for years through office e-mail by employees.

A spokesman for Attorney General Bruce Beemer said Thursday the office is trying to negotiate an “acceptable settlement.” The spokesman says the office has paid $385,000, while the Buckley Sandler law firm is seeking about $1.5 million more.

The report was commissioned by convicted former Attorney General Kathleen Kane. Beemer attacked the methodology of the report when he released it last month, but said it found no inappropriate communication between judges and the office’s employees that compromised the justice system.

The report’s author said the sexually explicit and offensive e-mail communication between judges and prosecutors is a “significant problem.”

[naviga:h3]New leaders tapped for Senate posts[/naviga:h3]

HARRISBURG — Several powerful committees are getting new leaders in the Republican-controlled state Senate.

Senate officials said Thursday that Sen. John Eichelberger of Blair County will chair the Education Committee, while Sen. Lisa Baker of Luzerne County will chair the Health and Human Services Committee.

The posts opened up after Lloyd Smucker of Lancaster County and Pat Vance of Cumberland County did not seek new terms. The new two-year legislative session starts Tuesday.

Eichelberger’s spot as Finance Committee chairman will go to Sen. Scott Hutchinson of Venango County and Baker’s spot as Labor and Industry Committee chairman will go to Sen. Kim Ward of Westmoreland County.