PA state Senate president urges impeachment proceedings against Soros-backed Philadelphia prosecutor

Pennsylvania state Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman (R-Bellefonte) on Tuesday urged the state House of Representatives leaders to begin impeachment proceedings against Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner (D).

A small percentage of crimes in Philadelphia have been prosecuted under Krasner, Corman wrote in a letter to House Speaker Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster), House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin) and House Judiciary Committee Chair Rob Kauffman (R-Franklin). 

"In the interest of curbing the lawlessness and current surge in violent crimes in the City of Philadelphia, I am requesting the House of Representatives begin impeachment proceedings," Corman wrote to the three lawmakers.

While the City of Brotherly Love hit an all-time homicide record in 2021, since 2015 only about 21% of shootings have led to criminal charges, of which less than one-tenth have resulted in convictions in the city. Corman also writes that although Philadelphia police made the most arrests last year for violent gun crimes since 2015, the DA has "withdrawn or dismissed more violent gun cases every single year he has been in office."

Krasner was elected in 2017 with the help of $1.7 million from the George Soros-backed Philadelphia Justice and Public Safety PAC, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Corman mentioned how even members of the General Assembly have been affected by the increase in violence, as well as Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, a Democratic congresswoman who was carjacked at gunpoint in broad daylight in Philadelphia last December.

"The recent spike in violent crime is a direct result of DA Krasner's failed policies and his refusal to perform the duties of his office to hold criminals accountable for the crimes that they commit," Corman wrote to his House colleagues. "Despite the recent crime wave, DA Krasner has not accepted responsibility for his failure to prosecute criminals, nor has he taken any new steps to keep dangerous criminals behind bars. As recently as last month, he shockingly insisted at a press conference that the city did not have a crisis of lawlessness."

Krasner has been criticized by Republicans for being soft on criminals and harsh on police. State Rep. Martina White (R-Philadelphia) told The Philadelphia Inquirer last week that she is seeking to bar Krasner from being elected to a third term in office by introducing a term limits bill.