Impeachment process of Philly DA Krasner to continue next week

Following a 107-85 vote in the Republican-controlled Pennsylvania state House, the impeachment process of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner will move forward next week with a tentative trial date set for January.

Krasner, a Democrat who has pushed for criminal justice reform policies and harsher punishment for police misconduct, has long drawn the ire of many Republicans.

House Republicans have claimed that Krasner’s reforms have led to an increase in gun homicides and crime in Philadelphia, as well as allegations that he has mishandled criminal cases and obstructed a legislative committee seeking to investigate his office.

A Pennsylvania elected official hasn’t been impeached in over 30 years. Only a small number of officials have faced efforts to be removed via impeachment throughout state history.

Senate Republican Caucus spokeswoman Erica Clayton Wright said the state Senate is following through on the impeachment process because it is the body’s constitutional obligation following a successful vote in the state House. She said continuing the process is “mandatory.”

“The Senate’s Constitutional obligations are clear, so we are prepared to fulfill our duties and continue the impeachment process of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner next week,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman in a news release.

Corman said the plan is to call the state Senate back into session on Nov. 29-30 to start the impeachment process, and invite the House impeachment managers to officially present the articles of impeachment.

Pending a Senate vote, Krasner will then be required to answer to the impeachment charges by Dec. 21. The impeachment trial is expected to begin on Jan. 18.

Krasner has already filed one lawsuit against the impeachment effort, questioning the legality of removing an elected official, as opposed to a civil officer. Krasner spokeswoman Jane Roh criticized the push for impeachment as overtly political.

“Never in the history of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has there been an impeachment of a locally elected official for their policies and ideas,” Roh said. “This outrageous abuse of the impeachment process was executed by the (Pennsylvania) House GOP majority to salvage their party’s political prospects on Election Day – which failed, up and down the ballot. DA Krasner was denied every request to testify, respond and refute outright lies along with way.”

There also is some confusion over the changing makeup of the legislature, since the Democrats will take control of the state House in the new session and the state Senate will change composition in between any initial votes and the impeachment trial.

Following the House vote on Nov. 16, Krasner said he intended to challenge the impeachment process and tweeted about his electoral victories against challenges seeking to unseat him.

Krasner was reelected in 2021 by wide margins in both his primary and general election campaigns.

“Philadelphians’ votes, and Philadelphia voters, should not be erased,” tweeted Krasner on Nov. 16. “History will harshly judge this anti-democratic authoritarian effort to erase Philly’s votes – votes by Black, brown and broke people in Philadelphia. And voters will have the last word.”