PHILADELPHIA, PA – The Republican party’s attempt to impeach Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner was rejected by a Commonwealth Court as being unconstitutional and political ‘offense’ on Friday.
Republicans have blamed Krasner for a rise in violent crime across the city, Krasner said it was just political theater, saying the Republican party supports violent insurrection, voter suppression and election denialism.
“The Commonwealth Court ruling is a victory for Philly voters, whose votes still count no matter how hard some politicians try to erase them. The order and opinion are also a victory for all of us in Pennsylvania and across the United States who believe in and cherish popular democracy,” Krasner said. “Violent insurrection, voter suppression, election denialism, and efforts to vacate elections you lose by engaging in recalls and bogus investigations and impeachments are authoritarian, un-democratic tactics that no American should accept.”
Using his office as a political pulpit, Krasner said, “The impeachment effort arose shortly before the November 2022 midterm elections and coincided with a national MAGA strategy to elect anti-democracy candidates on a racist, anti-LGBTQ+ platform that weaponized fear of urban crime rather than offer solutions. That strategy arose in the context of the 1/6/21 MAGA-led insurrection, and ongoing and sweeping GOP efforts to suppress votes and refuse to concede elections they lose. The MAGA strategy utterly failed in 2022, resulting in historic midterm victories and holds by the incumbent party in the White House.”
Republicans don’t see it that way.
“By impeaching Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, we put ourselves on the record that we stand with the people of Philadelphia who have been living in fear for their lives and the safety of themselves and their families. We are standing up for those who do not have a voice, but long for safety and freedom from fear,” said PA House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff after just one Republican voted against the impeachment. “What is clear is that the Philadelphia district attorney, through his improper use of prosecutorial discretion, has implemented policies and mismanaged his office in such a way that its purposeful ineffectiveness in combatting the crime and violence crisis gripping the city has contributed to the problem itself.”
In the court ruling, the judges decided, “Ultimately, it is for the electors of the Commonwealth to decide if this folly has been a wise use of legislative resources, just as it is for the electors of Philadelphia to decide if Petitioner is properly discharging his duties as District Attorney. [p. 5, emphasis added]”
