PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said Monday that the Republican-led drive to impeach and remove him from office was part of a “generalized authoritarian attack” being waged by the GOP on democracy across the country.
Krasner, a Democrat, made the remarks during a news conference to address a legal challenge he filed Friday in Commonwealth Court. In that lawsuit, Krasner and his lawyers argued the impeachment drive against him should be thrown out for several reasons, including that legislative Republicans haven’t accused him of an impeachable offense and don’t have the legal grounds to oust a locally elected official.
But Krasner went further Monday while commenting on the suit, saying he believed the tactics being used in Harrisburg resembled efforts by the GOP nationally to “try to undo elections” or improperly target Democratic officeholders. He brought up a sprawling array of examples, including efforts in other cities to recall or remove progressive prosecutors, and discussion in Washington that the new Republican majority in the U.S. House may seek to impeach President Joe Biden.
“You don’t have to do this stuff when you’re winning elections,” Krasner said.
The DA’s remarks were another example of the contentious political and legal fight that has been waged over the impeachment drive. Krasner has frequently cast the effort as illegal, anti-democratic, and politically motivated.
Republicans pursuing impeachment, meanwhile, have accused Krasner of enacting policies that have fueled the city’s shooting crisis, obstructing a legislative committee investigating him, and other offenses. The state Senate last week voted to formally accept the articles of impeachment approved by the state House, setting the stage for a January trial on whether to remove Krasner from office.
Erica Clayton Wright, spokesperson for Senate Republicans, declined to comment Monday because of the impending trial.
Jason Gottesman, spokesperson for House Republicans, said in a statement: “Larry Krasner has been impeached by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for misbehavior in office and nothing he says at a press conference can change that.”
In his legal filings last week, Krasner’s lawyers said the court should end the impeachment proceedings against him. One of the lawyers, Michael J. Satin, said Monday that the articles of impeachment approved by the House “don’t come close” to naming an impeachable offense. Satin also said the Legislature does not have the ability to impeach and remove a local officeholder, and that the current process is fatally flawed because the House approved impeachment at the end of a legislative session, while the trial isn’t scheduled to begin until after a new Legislature is sworn in next year.
It was not immediately clear Monday when or how quickly Commonwealth Court might rule.
In formally accepting the articles of impeachment last week, the Senate gave Krasner until mid-December to respond in writing, and summoned him to appear at his trial, scheduled to begin Jan. 18.
Krasner said Monday that he has wanted to publicly address legislators about impeachment for months. Asked if he planned to respond to the Senate and appear at his trial, he said: “I fully intend to answer, and honestly, I may answer fully and publicly before any proceedings start.”
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