DV Journal

For Philadelphia’s Martina White, filing articles of impeachment against her city’s district attorney is not about Larry Krasner. It is about crime victims.

“Our people have suffered for long enough and his policies have pretty much destroyed our city,” the Republican state representative told DVJournal Wednesday, just hours after announcing the impeachment articles were being filed. And, she said, she saw no reason to wait for the Select Committee process to run its course.

“Earlier this week I took note of a report that was issued by the Select Committee on Restoring Law and Order that described egregious misbehavior and conduct by Larry Krasner’s office and himself,” said White. “So, I just felt compelled to move forward with this. I don’t feel that it’s necessary to wait any longer. Our people have suffered for long enough and his policies have pretty much destroyed our city.”

Mike Chitwood

While the investigation is ongoing, “I just feel compelled to move forward because there are instances of repeated disregard of victims on sentencing matters, such as in the case of Lisa Hart-Newman, who was left to freeze to death as an infant at the scene of her parents’ murders,” said White.

The district attorney’s office never contacted Newman before going before a judge “to advocate on behalf of her parents’ murderer. The staggering amount of dysfunction that has come to light from untrained staff, from top to bottom being too inexperienced to successfully try cases,” said White.

“They have a lack of institutional knowledge on basic courtroom procedures, and it’s led to disastrous results. I mean, we have high levels of withdrawals, dismissals basically, criminals are walking free.”

Retired police officer Mike Chitwood said the impeachment move is good news for area law enforcement. Chitwood, who served 19 years as a Philadelphia officer before becoming police superintendent for Upper Darby, told DVJournal the officers working with this district attorney are very disheartened.

“The morale in the Philadelphia Police Department is zero to none,” said Chitwood. “That’s how bad it is, not only because of Krasner in there but because of the lack of support that they themselves receive from the (Kenney) administration.”

Asked whether Philadelphia voters, who are overwhelmingly Democratic, would just elect another progressive ideologue, Chitwood said, “Here is what really, really galls me, when he ran for reelection and won, where were the voters? Why did they vote him in?”

“He has allowed criminals to run the system. He has allowed criminals to run Philadelphia. And he has allowed criminals to do whatever they do without consequences. Period. That’s exactly what he’s done,” Chitwood added.

And, says White, it is not just voters and legislators upset by Krasner’s performance. Judges have noticed, too.

“Common Pleas Judge Barbara McDermott actually called the office’s prosecutors incompetent,” said White. And Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Kevin Dougherty, a Philadelphia native, issued a scathing opinion blasting the district attorney’s handling of a case.

Asked what was next, White said it would go to the House Judiciary Committee, then to the full House for a vote. After that the Senate would then have a trial, she said.

“The Speaker, I believe just put on another day (on the House calendar) for us to be able to facilitate running this impeachment article out of the House and get it over to the Senate,” White said.

Krasner had tried to stonewall the committee, she said. But after the House found him to be in contempt he turned over some materials.

Krasner pushed back against the impeachment, accusing the Republican-led House of political grandstanding, since it is shortly before the midterm elections, and also of racism.

White denied those contentions.

“This is specifically regarding public safety and had he not been a bad actor and misbehaving in his duties and responsibilities to the public and to do what’s in the public’s interest, he wouldn’t be going through this,” she said. And as for racism, “I would say it’s a fallacy, it’s a distraction from what is actually happening before our own eyes.

“Black and Brown people are dying on our streets and the district attorney standing there watching it and saying that we don’t have a crisis of crime.”

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No impeachment for Larry Krasner before the midterm elections.

That was the news as the House Select Committee investigating Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner (D) released a second interim report Monday.

The 63-page report details the results of dozens of interviews and documents reviewed by the committee. It also describes the persistent resistance from Krasner, who sued the General Assembly in August in Commonwealth Court over the validity of the committee. His initial refusal to testify led to a bipartisan vote in the House to hold the district attorney in contempt. The report noted Krasner submitted a six-page letter to satisfy the testimony request.

“Rather than collaborate with the Select Committee, the DAO and DA Krasner have put up roadblocks at every turn, even filing frivolous litigation against the Select Committee and its members,” the report’s executive summary reads in part. “DA Krasner’s repeated and ongoing obstruction of the Select Committee’s investigation no doubt speaks to his failure to integrate and effectuate his progressive policies with any success—as an office, in failing to be a collaborative partner with other public safety stakeholders, and as a voice for victims, in failing to competently and successfully prosecute violent criminals.”

As the report details, the district attorney’s office was the only one of six Philadelphia offices to refuse to submit requested documents following August subpoenas. That included the offices of the mayor, sheriff, city controller, and police department. Instead, Krasner filed the lawsuit that remains pending.

The rise in crime in Philadelphia has happened alongside lower prosecution rates. According to the district attorney’s office data, 30 percent of “all offenses” were withdrawn or dismissed in 2016. That number rose to 67 percent last year. And 21 percent of firearm cases were nolle prossed or withdrawn after initial charges were filed in 2021, up from 10 percent in 2016. Groups like the Delaware Valley Intelligence Center, which created two studies for the PPD as part of its response to the investigation, have noticed the decrease in convictions has altered the mindset of those arrested.

“This implies that, even when criminals are caught with a gun, they are swiftly finding out they may not receive as significant a consequence as they had historically,” their findings read in part. “Notably, the likelihood of being arrested is low to begin with. This means that criminals know that their likelihood of getting caught with a gun is slim and, even if they get caught, they feel that they can leave without severe (or any) consequences.”

Matching a theme found through public testimony in September, the report cited interviews reporting that Krasner was not just reorganizing his office under his vision, but he ignored decades of previous best practices and seemingly alienating partners, notably police officers. In addition to changing rules on bail requests and creating a list of officers not to call as witnesses at trial, Krasner instructed the reduction or dismissal of certain charges when they would affect a defendant’s immigration status, especially when relating to illegal immigrants. The report also details the amount and level of criticism the DAO has received from federal and commonwealth judges.

In a statement following the report’s release, Chairman John Lawrence (R-Chester) said the work was not done. A final report will likely come out before the House’s term ends this fall.

“Today’s report is by no means a conclusion of the committee’s work,” Lawrence’s statement reads in part. “The investigation into the historic crime and violence in Philadelphia and recommendations for possible solutions will continue in earnest over the coming weeks.”

Krasner’s office did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

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Butt out.

That was the message from the House Select Committee on Restoring Law and Order to the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court regarding filings from District Attorney Larry Krasner requesting protection from their subpoenas.

“Even if the Court were inclined to preemptively address Petitioners’ claims, the claims fail as a matter of law because (i) the Select Committee is empowered to conduct investigations, including investigating civil offices and officials such as the District Attorney’s Office and District Attorney Krasner, and, under separation of powers principles, a court should not interfere with such investigations,” the committee wrote in a Thursday filing.

The dispute began with Krasner’s attorneys asking a judge to quash the subpoena and issue a protective order that would protect the progressive district attorney from “any additional contempt proceedings as well as unreasonable annoyance, embarrassment, oppression, burden or expense.”

The Krasner’s attorneys fear lawmakers could enforce the contempt finding by possibly having him arrested, and they denounced the entire impeachment effort as “political gamesmanship,”  the records show. Krasner says he has already turned over hundreds of pages of records, many of them already publicly available, on how his office operates on policies of crime, bail, probation, parole, and reducing the jail population.

But he has so far refused to turn over the grand jury transcripts and the investigative case file for Ryan Pownall, a Philadelphia police officer awaiting trial for the on-duty 2017 shooting of David Jones. That document request was a part of the committee’s August 9 subpoena.

Turning over those files would violate state law requiring such records be kept confidential and could “undermine” the prosecution of Pownall, who is set to go on trial in November, “and future defendants as well,” Krasner’s attorney’s claimed.

The district attorney’s legal team suggested those documents are outside of the scope of the House’s resolution, which focused on Philadelphia’s rising crime rates, crime victims, public funding for prosecuting those crimes, and helping victims of gun violence.

Krasner’s office has also fought lawmakers on providing a so-called “privilege log” of withheld documents, calling that request “unduly burdensome.”

“To date, the Select Committee has not provided any legal authority for its request for grand jury materials and the DAO’s ‘complete case file’ in a pending case,” Krasner’s attorney, John Summers wrote. The DAO cannot and will not break the law in order to comply with the Select Committee’s (improper) subpoena.”

The committee rejected those arguments in its filing to the court.

“The subpoena expressly states that it does not call for the production of any privileged documents,” the committee wrote. “Moreover, Petitioners do not allege that they have produced privileged documents or a log asserting any privileges.

“In short, the petition seeks to protect ‘privileged’ documents that have not been requested and prevent a legislative action that has not occurred.”

The latest court salvo comes after the impeachment of Krasner took center stage last week.

Committee members heard testimony from witnesses on how Krasner alleged “soft on crime” policies have hampered public safety in crime-plagued Philadelphia and data advocates that showed the overall conviction for certain gun offenses was at 77 percent, down from the statewide average of 83 percent.

The city set a record in 2021 with 562 homicides and has already tallied another 416 in 2022.

“Krasner’s office has failed us,” said Karen McConnell, who was one of several relatives of homicide victims who shared their stories to lawmakers on the first day of the hearing at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

She lost her granddaughter, Jailene Holton, in June after a man fired 15 shots into the Philly Bar and Restaurant in Northeast Philadelphia and blamed the progressive district attorney for “pacifying these criminals.”

Krasner has maintained that he hasn’t committed an impeachable offense, as outlined by the state constitution, and that lawmakers are targeting him because they disagree with his policies.

Progressive district attorneys in other states have faced similar backlash, and his supporters staged their disapproval of the hearings with a fake “circus” outside, complete with jugglers and clowns.

Krasner’s legal team said it asked lawmakers to withdraw its initial subpoena request and issue “a new one that does not demand improper materials” but the committee refused to do so.

It voted last month to hold the district attorney in contempt while the current lawsuit was pending before the court.

Meanwhile, the committee insists that whatever the outcome, it is a fight between the legislature and Krasner and should not involve the judiciary.

“Petitioners ask the court to substitute its judgment for the General Assembly’s judgment with regard to the select committee’s ongoing investigation regarding the rising rates of crime, the enforcement of criminal laws, and the enforcement of crime victims’ rights in the City of Philadelphia and consideration of the potential impeachment of District Attorney Krasner,” the committee said.

“Such relief would violate the separation of powers doctrine and Petitioners’ claims are, therefore, nonjusticiable.”

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“Krasner’s office has failed us.”

That was the testimony of Karen McConnell on the first day of the House Select Committee on Restoring Law and Order hearing at the Philadelphia Navy Yard Thursday. While the topic was the crime crisis, the target was progressive District Attorney Larry Krasner.

McConnell lost her granddaughter, Jailene Holton, in June after a man fired 15 shots into the Philly Bar and Restaurant in Northeast Philadelphia. She blamed the district attorney for “pacifying these criminals” who, because of his policies, evaded punishment on prior charges. McConnell was one of several family members of homicide victims who shared their stories with state representatives conducting the hearing.

Krasner and his allies dismissed the bipartisan committee’s investigation as a political stunt. Krasner allies mocked the proceedings by staging a fake “circus” outside, complete with jugglers and clowns. Republicans were outraged.

“This is the kind of respect the supporters of DA Krasner believe victims of violent crime and their families testifying today deserve,” said House GOP spokesperson Jason Gottesman. “This is grotesque and shameful. As tears are shed in today’s hearing over loss of life, Krasner’s supporters are throwing a party. Sickening.”

Supporters of Larry Krasner stage a mock “circus” to protest the House Select Committee Hearing on Restoring Law and Order.

And though the testimony was sometimes emotional, in the committee hearing there were few political fireworks. Rep. John Lawrence (R-West Grove) kept the hearing civil and focused on the testimony. “If you’re expecting simple-minded mudslinging, you will be disappointed.”

In his opening statement, Lawrence avoided rhetoric and instead told how his parents met in the city, attended Temple University, and eventually started a family.

“I would not be here without the story of Philadelphia,” he said. He added, “It would be a dereliction of duty if we did not take action,” and then laid an account of the rising crime and environment of lawlessness on the city’s streets.

“The increase in crime has led to a decline in the quality of life in the city, the regional impact to surrounding areas, and, of course, lifetimes of pain for those who have lost a family member to senseless criminal activity,” said Lawrence.

The four-member committee heard more than an hour of testimony from crime victims and family members of those who lost their lives to criminals. They testified about being discouraged by the slow pace of justice in their cases. Some claimed they did their own investigative work to find information overlooked by police. Others lamented poor communication from city prosecutors assigned to their cases. Longtime residents said their neighborhoods are overrun by emboldened criminals, pointing to suspects who either were arrested and released or had their charges dismissed. Either way, they said, the bad guys were back on the street.

And they blamed Krasner.

Nakisha Billa, who lost her son Domonic in March 2021 in a shooting at the Franklin Mills Mall, said the information provided by the CARES program was not helpful and she had to track down city victims’ services herself. Her testimony echoed a familiar refrain from victims’ families that the District Attorney’s office under Krasner has not put enough resources or attention to those families, she insisted that her testimony was without political motive or invective.

In an exchange with Rep. Amen Brown (D-Philadelphia), Billa said she wanted to leave the city, despite having lived here all her life and Philadelphia still being home to her family and support system.

A particularly poignant moment came when Brown shared a conversation he had with a 100-year-old constituent who wanted him to clean up her block in West Philadelphia. For years she spent part of her day sitting on her porch but said fear of crime had now driven her indoors. “She told me, ‘I want to do it one more time before I pass,'” Brown said.

Rep. Martina White (R-Philadelphia), the city’s former GOP chair, shared her frustration with the lack of results and her compassion for the city’s victims of crime.

“Larry Krasner has denied these victims a voice,” she said. “He has tipped those scales of justice in favor of the criminals. It’s out of control and we have to do more about it. I’m really grateful that Harrisburg and specifically the members of this committee have come to Philadelphia to learn about what is happening here, firsthand.”

Questioned by a reporter about why Krasner had not been called as a witness, White said, “That is up to the committee. The D.A. has already been extremely disrespectful to the process. He’s ignored subpoenas and was held in contempt out in Harrisburg by a bipartisan majority in the House. It is really time that he pays attention to what the people of Philadelphia want. They want criminals held accountable and they want it to start now. We’re tired of waiting. We need safety and security on our streets.”

As of Wednesday, the city has 401 homicides in 2022 while carjacking eclipsed 1,000 for the first time in history.  And though gun possession arrests have drastically increased recently, conviction rates — the share of cases prosecuted by the district attorney’s office that result in a conviction — for gun possession declined. Between 2015 and 2020, the share of illegal gun possession cases resulting in conviction fell from 65 percent to 42 percent, according to the city controller.

Billa compared the constant reporting on crime statistics to coverage of the score during a basketball game. “Only this is not a game, and I’m tired of losing.”

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Larry Krasner, the Philadelphia district attorney, is fighting subpoenas from the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee investigating the impacts of his progressive policies on the city’s skyrocketing crime rate.

And Krasner’s lawyers also object to those subpoenas because they “don’t serve a proper legislative purpose” and “violate the separation of powers.” In a letter to the committee, the attorneys claim committee members “seek to deny the constitutional rights of Philadelphia citizens.” Krasner has twice been elected to his position.

The lawyers accuse Republicans of trying to raise their profiles with their base by pursuing Democrat Krasner and disputed that there were any grounds for impeachment, only “policy differences.”

“Indeed, no official has been impeached for policy differences like those that are the subject of the Select Committee and its Subpoena. Whether the House Republicans driving the impeachment effort like it or not, the citizens of Philadelphia have spoken at the polls; it is not up to House Republicans to try to effectively overturn that election.”

The Select Committee includes Philadelphia Democratic Reps. Amen Brown and Danilo Burgos.

In the heavily Democratic city, Krasner was easily reelected in the 2021 primary against Carlos Vega, when the off-year turnout was 20.1 percent.

As of Aug. 22, there were 350 homicides in the city, up one percent from the same time last year. In 2021 there were 562 homicides in Philadelphia. Rarely does a day pass when residents turn on the television news without hearing about a new shooting.

State Sen. Jake Corman, who first called for Krasner’s impeachment when he was running for governor in the Republican primary, the House didn’t act at that time. In June, Rep. Martina White (R-Philadelphia) brought local crime victims for a rally at the capitol, which spurred her colleagues to begin an investigation that may lead to Krasner’s impeachment.

“He has been coddling criminals rather than holding them accountable for their actions,” White said. By not prosecuting crime, Krasner has “violated his oath of office,” she added. “The proof is overwhelming. The impact on our communities is devastating. Lives are lost and our citizens are living in fear.”

“Since the beginning of the effort to impeach Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, we have heard from countless Pennsylvanians, business owners, and families who are fed up with the absolute lawlessness in Philadelphia,” said Rep. Josh Kail (R-Beaver/Washington) when announcing the impeachment inquiry.

Krasner is not the only progressive prosecutor whose soft-on-crime policies have drawn ire. This summer San Francisco voters ousted District Attorney Chesa Boudin. However, a bid to recall Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon fell short after a committee struck signatures from petitions.

Krasner, one of numerous progressive district attorneys who were elected around the country, often with the help of deep-pocketed outside funding, was the subject of a PBS documentary “Philly D.A.”

When Krasner spoke to the Delaware Valley Journal in May 2021, he blamed increasing homicides and other violent crimes that were spiking on the COVID-19 pandemic. But others see his policies, including lax enforcement of gun laws, as the root cause of burgeoning crime in the city.

State Rep. Craig Williams (R-Chadds Ford), a former assistant federal prosecutor, worked with White to write legislation to form a gun crime task force for Philadelphia and also extend a law that gives the state attorney general jurisdiction over gun crimes in the city. Attorney General Josh Shapiro allowed a previous version of that law to expire without using it. His office worked with Williams and White on the latest bill, HB 2275, which passed the House and is now pending in the Senate judiciary committee.  Shapiro is now the Democratic candidate for governor.

“Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has said publically on a number of occasions that he believes a prior felon in possession of a gun is simply a possession case, which he is not inclined to prosecute,” said Williams. “You can still prosecute these cases in the United States Attorney’s Office.”

Last year’s budget included an additional $3 million to hire more gun prosecutors in the Philadelphia and Delaware County District Attorney’s offices “who will become special assistants U.S. Attorneys,” he said.

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A justice on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court published a “special concurrence” Wednesday morning excoriating Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and the conduct of his office regarding the case of a Philadelphia officer who shot and killed a man who fled from a traffic stop.

The nineteen-page filing by Justice Kevin M. Dougherty is a stunning rebuke of Krasner and his methods and comes just as an impeachment effort against the progressive prosecutor has found its footing in Harrisburg.

A request for comment to Krasner’s office from Broad + Liberty was not returned. DAO spokeswoman Jane Roh told the Inquirer that the office would not be commenting on the findings.

Justice Dougherty alleges Krasner lacked candor through many portions of the proceedings, and that he manipulated the grand jury process in unethical ways.

Former PPD officer Ryan Pownall fatally shot David Jones in 2017, when Pownall confronted the man for riding a dirt bike on a city street.

Krasner has since used the case in an attempt to completely overhaul the long-used understanding of Pennsylvania law as to what constitutes the legal use of deadly force by officers.

Judge Dougherty had previously expressed some skepticism about the case, but fully unburdened himself with the Wednesday filing. His writing focused less on the deadly use-of-force issue at play in the actual incident involving Pownall, and focused more about the tactics employed by Krasner and his fellow prosecutors.

“A special concurrence is unusual. But so is the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office’s (‘DAO’) prosecution in this case. That is why I feel compelled to write separately, unconstrained by majority authorship, to pull back the curtain on some of the concerning irregularities that lurk just beneath the surface of this appeal,” Dougherty wrote.

Justice Dougherty, who has roots in Philadelphia, began by noting that officer-involved shootings erode the trust of the judicial system in the community, but also noted that prosecutors must treat all actors in the court equally and fairly.

“Yet, here, I cannot say the DAO has treated Pownall fairly and equally,” Dougherty said.

“At least three aspects of the DAO’s prosecution give me serious pause: (1) its failure to provide the investigating grand jury with all relevant legal definitions; (2) its successful attempt to deny Pownall a preliminary hearing; and (3) its relentless but unsuccessful attempt to change the peace officer justification law prior to Pownall’s trial.”

The first problem, Dougherty wrote, “implicates a potential abuse of the grand jury process.” According to Pownall’s attorneys, Kranser’s office “intentionally failed to notify the grand jury of the peace officer justification defense,” a part of Pennsylvania law that allows law enforcement officers to use deadly force in certain situations. Krasner believes that law is contradicted by federal law, but that has not yet been held to be the case in Pennsylvania.

A further abuse, Dougherty says, is that having presented the grand jury with only a partial picture of the law they are meant to enforce, Krasner secured an indictment and then unsealed it and released it to the media. “Not surprisingly, multiple news sources reported on the presentment’s one-sided account, with some even making the full document available online for anyone and everyone to read.”

That offense was compounded, Dougherty wrote, with Krasner’s office’s next misstep in denying Pownall a preliminary hearing. “Theoretically, that error could have been remedied by adherence to one of the statutory safeguards embedded in the process: the requirement that ‘the defendant shall be entitled to a preliminary hearing.’ What is troubling is the DAO’s effort to ensure that would not occur.”

Dougherty wrote that the record in the case suggests that this was no mere mistake: “Remarkably,” he wrote, “the DAO appears to have known all this at the time it filed its motion.”

For the third and final issue described by Dougherty, he faults Krasner for “The DAO’s lack of candor with respect to its underlying constitutional claim; and (2) the questionable timing of the motion’s filing and subsequent appeal.”

Dougherty noted that the DAO’s motion in limine — which essentially means a motion outside of the jury’s presence and is often used as a method to exclude evidence that can be presented to a jury — presented “only half the relevant picture.”

“This type of advocacy would be worrisome coming from any litigant…That it was the prosecution’s doing is even more concerning, particularly in light of the motion’s timing[.]”

Dougherty concluded that, “[w]hen combined with the other tactics highlighted throughout this concurrence, a compelling argument may be made that the DAO’s decision to delay Pownall’s trial further by taking an unauthorized interlocutory appeal was intended to deprive him of a fair and speedy trial.”

The sheer scope of the rebuke, combined with the fact it comes from a Democratic Justice on the state’s highest court will no doubt be noticed by Harrisburg Republicans who are campaigning to impeach Krasner for dereliction of duty.

Dougherty, the brother of former IBEW boss Johnny Dougherty, was first elected to the court in 2015.

This is a developing story, and Broad + Liberty expects to add updates later in the day.

Kyle Sammin contributed to this report.

This article first appeared in Broad + Liberty

Pennsylvania Republican House members are stepping up their impeachment process against Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner.

The House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday approved a resolution creating the Select Committee on Restoring Law and Order. The resolution, announced by Rep. Josh Kail (R-Beaver/Washington) as part of the ongoing effort to impeach Krasne, now goes to the full House for consideration.

It comes after Rep. Martina White (R-Philadelphia) invited crime victims to come to the capital and tell their stories. Several family members spoke passionately about their loved ones who were murdered in the city, and about their dissatisfaction with the district attorney.

White also blasted Krasner over the city’s crime rate. Violent crime in Philadelphia has increased dramatically since he took office in 2018. Krasner, a progressive Democrat, has espoused an approach that includes dropping gun charges against some defendants and not prosecuting minor crimes. The number of shooting incidents in Philadelphia is up over 7 percent, and the number of shooting victims is up almost 5 percent over last year.

“Since the beginning of the effort to impeach Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, we have heard from countless Pennsylvanians, business owners, and families who are fed up with the absolute lawlessness in Philadelphia,” Kail said.

“While DA Krasner has been transparent in his willful dereliction of duty to enforce the law and should be removed from office, it is imperative the House takes a comprehensive approach to holding Philadelphia officials accountable with a full airing of the facts, a comprehensive record, and vetted recommendations as we move forward to ensure state law is respected and enforced in our largest city,” he said.

According to the resolution, the Select Committee on Restoring Law and Order will consist of five members selected by the Speaker of the House—three Republicans and two Democrats—and have subpoena power.

Those members will be appointed after the resolution passes, officials said.

The committee will examine the effect Krasner’s alleged failure to enforce criminal laws in Philadelphia, how state public safety funding for Philadelphia has been used, and whether victims’ rights are properly protected, officials said.

In addition to impeachment and other methods of removal from office, the committee is also empowered to recommend potential legislative or policy changes that could ensure public safety is guaranteed.

“The problem of unchecked crime and violence in Philadelphia is a statewide concern requiring strong and deliberate state action,” Kail added.

“The investigative Select Committee on Restoring Law and Order will take a deep dive into this issue and offer real remedies to ensure local officials like Larry Krasner are held accountable for their refusal to enforce state law and our cities are once again safe,” he said.

A spokeswoman for Krasner did not respond to a request for comment. However, Krasner’s defenders, including Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D-Philadelphia), noted Philadelphia voters have elected him twice.

“We can’t go backwards,” Kenyatta said on Facebook. “We have a DA who cares about justice, safety, and accountability. We can’t elect someone who would take us the other way. I’m proud to support Larry Krasner for DA because he’s unabashedly led the charge (to) reform a broken system by building a big winning coalition.”

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Tuesday would have been Sean Toomey’s 16th birthday.

Instead of celebrating it with his son, John Toomey attended a rally in Harrisburg hoping to get some small measure of justice by supporting the impeachment of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner.

Sean was carrying a case of bottled water from his dad’s car in the Wissinoming section of the city when would-be carjackers assaulted him, shooting him in the head and killing him.

“Someone who commits terrible acts like this should be in prison. The D.A.’s culpable,” said Toomey, his voice breaking with emotion as he spoke. “It’s not his responsibility to act as a defense attorney for those who should be in jail. They already have a defense attorney. That’s taken care of…This individual calls himself a man. Who’s going to bring him back to me, who’s going to bring my boy? I say, impeach this son-of-a-b***h.”

John Toomey talks about his son, Sean, a murder victim.

Toomey isn’t alone. An angry mob of heartbroken parents and outraged lawmakers gathered to support an effort to remove the controversial district attorney from office. Krasner, one of the most progressive prosecutors in the nation, has overseen a huge spike in violent crime and murders in his city. At the same time, notes Kevin Williams at National Review magazine, prosecutions of gun crimes on his watch have plummeted.

“In Philadelphia, the majority of gun cases—60 percent—are simply dismissed with no prosecution, according to the local district attorney’s office. That’s double the dismissal rate of 2016 — and the district attorney is bragging about how few gun crimes get prosecuted,” Williamson wrote.

That dichotomy has energized the impeachment movement.

State Rep. Martina White (R-Philadelphia), who introduced the speakers at Tuesday’s gathering, supports a resolution to impeach Krasner for failing to do his job that is being circulated in the House. The legislators who introduced it —Reps. Josh Kail (R-Beaver/Washington), Torren Ecker (R- Adams/Cumberland), and Tim O’Neal (Washington)—were also on hand.

“Larry Krasner corrupted that position by ignoring certain offenses and in the process, is usurping the authority of this legislative body,” said White. “Let me be clear that his actions have real consequences. This is about the lives of the many men and women and children who experienced the tragedy and hurt that is the direct result of the dereliction of duty by the district attorney.”

“He has been coddling criminals rather than holding them accountable for their actions,” White said.  By not prosecuting crime, Krasner has “violated his oath of office,” she said. “The proof is overwhelming.”

“The impact on our communities is devastating,” she said. “Lives are lost and our citizens are living in fear.”

People have died after being shot, others were injured or traumatized by criminals who should have been in jail, White added. In 2021 there were 562 homicides in Philadelphia, an increase of 78 percent from the year before Krasner took office.

Nakisha Billa told the story of her son Dominic Billa-Lewis, 20, who was gunned down in the food court of the Northeast Philly mall in March. Billa-Lewis, who had worked since he was 14 years old and “paid taxes,” was at the mall to buy a new pair of pants for a job interview.

Billa said she was on her way to the mall when she saw police, an ambulance, and a helicopter heading that way. She prayed her child was okay. She did not know she was “feet away from my baby, laying in the mall, dying,” she said.

“Never would I have guessed that he would encounter criminals, repeat offenses criminals,” she said. “Never would I have imagined this would happen…At what point do we hold those that are responsible to account? How many sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, that we have to lose before someone makes it right and stops it? Never had I heard so many homicides of women that are pregnant, children that are dying, babies?”

Billa, who voted for Krasner because he was a civil rights attorney, now says the lawlessness in Philadelphia “is beyond out of control.

“We need to do whatever it takes to change. Never would I have supported him if I knew he’d be offering deals for murder, for taking someone’s life,” she said.

Julio Moran Jr. spoke about his mother, describing her as church-going and less than 5 feet tall.  She had gotten a protection-from-abuse order against a man who had hurt her.

However, the district attorney’s office refused to help her in court in January 2021 and the abusive person killed her, Moran said.

“They would not hold the offender accountable for his actions,” said Moran. “This was a violent predator.”

“She didn’t just fall through the cracks of the criminal justice system,” he said. “She fell through a trap door created by Krasner and his group of false public servants. For us, this is not about politics. This is about keeping malicious politicians from destroying the institutions that protect us.

“We’re devastated by the loss of our mom. Her grandkids miss her…One day they will have to fully understand why she isn’t able to be part of their lives anymore.”

Sukhvir Thind, who runs a convenience store, complained that “retail theft is at an all-time high. Criminals know that he [Krasner] is not going to prosecute. So they [are released] before our shift ends. My employees, they are scared to come to work. They know they could be the next victim of any gun violence or any crime. So we want the D.A. to start prosecuting retail theft and be aggressive on gun violence. Do your job and bulletproof the city.”

White insisted the opposition to Krasner isn’t just more partisan politics.

“This is more than a call to action,” she said. “It is an outcry to help save lives and keep our community safe.”

Krasner could not be reached for comment.

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The political focus on guns in Philadelphia has dramatically intensified in the wake of two mass shootings: a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas that killed 19 students and two teachers on May 24, then a street fight that exploded into a full shootout in Philadelphia’s South Street entertainment district, killing three and wounding eleven.

In the wake of the South Street shooting, political leaders across the city issued calls for more gun control legislation from Washington D.C. and Harrisburg, while also addressing various local issues related to gun violence.

For all the calls for new gun laws, some laws on the books remain conspicuous because District Attorney Larry Krasner has indicated his office will not pursue violators.

“We do not believe that arresting people and convicting them for illegal gun possession is a viable strategy to reduce shootings,” Krasner’s office told the Inquirer in January.

Absent any evidence of a shift in thinking at the district attorney’s office, Broad + Liberty asked 23 different elected officials across the city — Mayor Kenney, all sixteen members of the Philadelphia City Council, as well as seven state representatives or senators who represent a part of the city —  their opinions on Krasner’s stance on illegal guns, given the heightened interest in gun violence.

Only two responded.

“Mayor Kenney believes that individuals carrying guns illegally should be held accountable for that choice,” said Kevin Lessard, Mayor Kenney’s press officer. “The Philadelphia Police Department took a record number of guns off the street last year, and they continue to remove a substantial amount of guns this year. We will continue to do everything we can to address the major causes of violence, while attempting to remove the tools that generate that violence: guns.”

Councilmember Mark Squilla gave a more generic answer.

“My stance has not changed on this topic: all elected officials are responsible for the rise in crime and sense of lawlessness,” Squilla said. “What are we doing to ensure public safety for our Residents, Businesses and Visitors?   We all need to work together and show a united front supporting safety policies to reverse this trend. I am committed to working with all stakeholders to make public safety our number one priority.”

While Squilla was the only one of the sixteen members of council who provided a comment, the state representatives and senators who also did not respond were: Sen. Art Haywood, Sen. Anthony Williams, Rep. Amen Brown, Rep. Kevin Boyle, Rep. JoAnna McClinton, and Rep. Joseph C. Hohenstein

(Sen. Williams did place a call to this reporter about the query, but Broad + Liberty asked that he submit his answers in writing. No other response was forthcoming. Councilmember Bass attempted to coordinate a statement, but said she was unable to do so because of time constraints.)

Kenney was slightly more pointed in the days immediately following the South Street shooting.

“It’s gotten to the point where there’s no price to pay for carrying illegal guns, so people carry them because they don’t think anything is going to happen,” he said.

Krasner’s office pushed back, saying, “Fewer than 30 percent of shooters are actually arrested by police, which is why the DA has been so vocal about the Kenney administration shifting resources to forensic technologies and more rigorous investigative training to help police solve more cases.”

However, a Broad + Liberty investigation earlier in the year turned up no evidence that the district attorney’s office had ever made direct, specific requests to either the mayor’s office or to the city council with detailed forensic needs.

In newsletters, Krasner has said he has made repeated requests to City Hall for better forensics.

One Philadelphia Police captain highlighted the illegal guns issue on Twitter.

“Yes. Out of 303 total illegal firearm arrests (VUFA’s) from 2019 & 2020 in the @PPD18Dist. Only TWO… Have received a state prison sentence. Two,” wrote Captain Matthew Gillespie.

Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw also brought up the issue in a long form conversation with 6ABC but didn’t mention Krasner by name.

“But we’ve also taken a record number of illegal crime guns off the street — close to 6,000 last year. And we’re on pace to do the same thing this year. And if these guns are not prioritized, we’re going to continue to keep seeing the same thing that we’re seeing year over year,” Outlaw said (minute 10:00 of the video).

“There has to be consequences for those carrying illegal guns or are using them in ways that are not in alignment with what the law says,” she concluded.

On Monday, three Republican members of the Pennsylvania House announced they are taking the first steps to begin impeachment proceedings against Krasner for “dereliction of duty in willfully refusing to enforce current criminal laws already on the books[.]”

The impeachment push faces long odds. If charges were able to pass out of the Pennsylvania House (where Republicans hold a majority) with a simple majority vote, they would still need to peel off at least five Democratic senators for the two-thirds majority needed to convict in the upper chamber.

This article first appeared in Broad  + Liberty.

A group of state House Republicans announced Monday they are launching an effort to impeach Philadelphia’s progressive District Attorney Larry Krasner to “highlight his absolute dereliction of duty.”

“Lives have been lost,” said Rep. Josh Kail (R-Beaver/Washington), one of the three lawmakers to begin circulating the impeachment legislation. “Property has been destroyed. And families have been crushed. Enough is enough.”

Rep. Torren Ecker (R-Adams/Cumberland) is also part of the effort, along with Tim O’Neal (R-Washington). “Krasner said six months ago, ‘We do not believe arresting people and convicting them for illegal gun possession is a viable strategy to reduce shooting,'” Ecker noted.

“Since that time there have been nearly 950 people injured or killed as a result of gun violence in Philadelphia,” Ecker continued, “a nearly 7 percent increase over last year. There have been 220 homicides in the city of Philadelphia, 194 fatal shootings, and 796 nonfatal shootings. There’s been an 8 percent increase in shooting incidents in Philadelphia. It’s widespread lawlessness in the city of Philadelphia.”

Rep. Martina White (R-Philadelphia) backs the impeachment effort.

“The lawlessness in Philadelphia has been exasperated by the intentional lack of adequate prosecution by and under Krasner’s direction. That is coming to an end,” White said.

“Impeachment is a rarely used process, but the time has come,” she said. “No longer can we allow law-abiding citizens to live in fear or to be victimized by the criminals who have been emboldened by the district attorney?

“I want to thank my colleagues for standing with Pennsylvanians and announcing they will be introducing articles of impeachment for Larry Krasner. I have co-sponsored the articles and will support my colleagues in every way possible through the process,” White said.

The plan to impeach the progressive distinct attorney echoes the successful effort in California where voters in deep-blue San Francisco threw far-left prosecutor Chesa Boudin out of office two weeks ago. Removing Krasner has support from some legislative heavy hitters.

“Now is the time to have a serious discussion about impeaching Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner,” said Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin). “Philadelphia’s unchecked crime problem is a statewide concern and the district attorney’s open refusal to enforce current Pennsylvania law in the city is a clear dereliction of his duty to keep Philadelphians and Pennsylvanians safe.”

Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman (R-Bellefonte) called for Krasner’s impeachment when he was campaigning for governor earlier this year.

“Today’s announcement couldn’t come soon enough,” said a spokesman for Corman. “Philadelphians deserve a D.A. who puts dangerous criminals behind bars instead of letting them back out onto the streets to seek more victims.”

A simple majority vote will be required in the House to impeach Krasner. It would take a two-thirds vote for the Senate to convict him.

Dom Giordano, a Philadelphia resident and talk radio host, has long decried Krasner’s handling of crime in the city.

“We’ve been involved in this pounding and pounding away,”  said Giordano.

He says he believes Krasner will likely be his own worst enemy when he goes before the House to testify with “his typical arrogance and smugness.

“It’s his arrogance. He’s just one of a kind. These other guys can’t hold a candle to him, the other progressive prosecutors. He’s dug in,” Giordano said.

Giordano noted that after the South Street shooting, Mayor Jim Kenney commented about the violence and the lack of prosecution of crime.

Kenney said, “We cannot accept continued violence as a way of life in our country. Until we address the availability and ease of access to firearms, we will always be fighting an uphill battle.”

That comment from Kenney might also be a turning point, said Giordano.

Giordano said the impeachment will get bipartisan support since Democrats are up for re-election, some facing competitive races.

Krasner did not respond to a request for comment.

However, Rep. Ben Sanchez (D-Abington) called the impeachment effort a “political stunt by three legislators who live nowhere near Philadelphia and who are looking to deflect from the pressure millions of Americans are putting on them right now to enact commonsense gun safety reform.

“I would implore those legislators to work on gun safety legislation to address this problem which has existed long before D.A. Larry Krasner was twice elected. We could start by passing House Bill 980 which would require lost and stolen firearms reporting and help reduce the flow of illegal guns to the City of Philadelphia and its suburbs.”

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