by Charlotte Hazard
Republicans in the Pennsylvania House have introduced articles of impeachment against Philadelphia’s district attorney Larry Krasner.
The lawmakers introduced the measure Wednesday to impeach Kranser and said they might add days to the legislative session to complete the effort before the two-year legislative term expires next month, according to local TV station ABC6 News.
The 22-page measure is sponsored by Rep. Martina White, the only House Republican who represents the city.
White and about two dozen other House Republicans accuse Krasner, who was overwhelmingly reelected about a year ago, of “dereliction of duty and despicable behavior” and running an office with a “staggering amount of dysfunction.”
White more pointedly says Krasner is “responsible for the rise of crime across our city,” the TV station also reports.
Krasner points out the lawmakers “don’t allege I’ve committed a crime.”
The resolution takes issue with Krasner’s policies regarding not prosecuting prostitution or marijuana possession cases, treatment of immigration defendants, gun crimes and cash bail. Backers of his removal blame him for recent sharp increases in the city’s number of killings, also according to ABC6.
Progressive billionaire George Soros spent about $1.45 million on Krasner’s campaign in 2017.
On Tuesday, House Republicans sought to investigate how Krasner’s office spends funds on crime victims. State Rep. John Lawrence (R-West Grove) said, “It was suggested to the committee to review this, to be candid with you, by the attorney general of the commonwealth.”
However, the office of Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who is running for Pennsylvania governor, denied Lawrence’s claim.
“The Office of Attorney General has not made any request for an audit of the Gun Violence Task Force,” Jacklin Rhoads, the communications director for the Shapiro’s office, told The Center Square. “The statement made at today’s hearing is unequivocally false.”
Shapiro and Krasner clashed over a national opioid settlement, which the district attorney sued the attorney general’s office over.
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Charlotte Hazard is a regular contributor to Just the News.
Photo “Larry Krasner” by Larry Krasner for DA.
