Chester County DA Hogan withdraws reelection bid

Chester County District Attorney Thomas P. Hogan announced Wednesday that he will not seek reelection in the fall.

Hogan, 52, said he pulled out of the race for three reasons: He had accomplished all he set out to do during his eight years in office; he’s lookingto meet a new challenge; and he wants to spend more time with his family.

“That’s it. No scandals. I am still happily married to my wife of 22 years, and have two great kids. No back story. I am still the nerd who never even tried marijuana,” Hogan said in a statement. “Nope, I am just somebody recognizing that there is a time to leave public life."

Hogan, a Republican, ran uncontested in the May primary and was set to face Deb Ryan, a former prosecutor in his office, who ran unopposed on the Democratic side.

As he announced his departure, he offered an endorsement for First Assistant District Attorney Michael Noone to be his successor on the ticket. Noone has worked alongside Hogan for seven years, helping lead the office’s Overdose Prevention Task Force, running its Elder Abuse Task Force, and handling all sexual assault prosecutions for the District Attorney’s Office.

“Mike is well known to law enforcement and our judges,” Hogan said. “He will keep Chester County safe.”

The county Republican committee must name a replacement for Hogan by 80 days before the November election.

A native of Wisconsin, Hogan joined the District Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor in 1998. He won its top spot in 2011.

During his tenure, the office prosecuted several high-profile cases, including the road-rage murder of Bianca Roberson by David Desper, and Gary Fellenbaum III’s fatally torturing 3-year-old Scott McMillan.

More recently, Hogan took a stand against the Mariner East II pipeline, impaneling a grand jury to investigate its operator, Energy Transfer Partners. His efforts were joined a month later by state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, whose office opened up its own investigation.

“The Chester County District Attorney’s Office now stands as that ‘shining city upon a hill,’ an example of what a prosecutor’s office should and must be,” Hogan said. “The DAO is as strong and deep as it ever has been. I am proud to leave that as my legacy.”