Taking aim at liberal Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, Rep. Craig Williams (R-Delaware/Chester) reintroduced legislation that would allow the state to step in when the progressive prosecutor refuses to pursue gun crimes committed on his watch.
Williams’s legislation would give Pennsylvania’s attorney general concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute prior-convicted felons in possession of guns stemming from arrests in the city of Philadelphia. It is both a federal and state crime for a prior-convicted felon to possess a gun.
The legislation establishes a Gun Violence Task Force (GVTF) to coordinate enforcement efforts between the Office of Attorney General, U.S. Attorney’s Office (Eastern District of Pennsylvania), Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, and local and federal law enforcement agencies. The GVTF structure was previously negotiated with the Attorney General’s Office and leadership from both parties in 2022
“Between 2018 and 2024, more than 12,000 people were shot in Philadelphia, with nearly 2,500 of those shootings proving fatal,” said Williams. “We must bring the full weight of law enforcement to combat this crisis. This legislation creates a multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force with direct prosecutorial authority to remove violent felons from our streets.”
Data from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency highlights Philadelphia’s alarming gun violence problem:
- The average assault by firearm rate is 259 per 100,000 residents—more than four times the state average.
- The average robbery by firearm rate is 187 per 100,000 residents—again, four times higher than the state average.
In a recent 90-day period (November 14, 2024, through February 12, 2025), 933 aggravated assaults and 678 robberies were committed with a firearm, according to the Philadelphia Police Department’s Crime Statistics Map.
Under Williams’ bill, law enforcement agencies must report every illegal gun possession arrest of a prior convicted felon to the GVTF. The task force, including the attorney general and U.S. attorney, would then determine whether to assert jurisdiction over the case based on the severity of charges and the defendant’s criminal history.
Additionally, the attorney general must submit an annual report to the House and Senate Appropriations and Judiciary Committees detailing arrests, prosecutions, convictions, sentences, and expenditures related to GVTF operations.
Krasner recently announced he is seeking a third term. He faces a challenger in the Democratic primary, Patrick Dugan, a former judge. Previously, the state House impeached Krasner. Williams, a former federal prosecutor, had served as impeachment manager. However, the state Supreme Court scotched that case before it could be tried before the state Senate.
“This legislation sends a clear message: We will not allow lawlessness to continue in Philadelphia,” said Williams. “The violence of Philadelphia impacts all of the collar counties, and the consequences of non-prosecution are being felt as far away as Somerset County. We must meet violent criminals with the full weight, force and strength of our laws.
