Committee to investigate DA Larry Krasner’s office has been selected, and work will now begin

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives’ investigation into Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner’s office has officially begun.

House Speaker Bryan Cutler this week appointed the five state legislators tasked with leading the committee to investigate Krasner’s office — initiating the first step in state Republicans’ efforts to impeach the progressive prosecutor for what they have called his dereliction of duty in addressing Philadelphia’s gun violence crisis.

Work begins immediately and will last throughout the summer with the goal of presenting findings to the House in the fall.

» READ MORE: Pa. House to investigate Philly DA Larry Krasner’s office as Republicans hunt for impeachable offenses

The group, which has subpoena powers and has been named the Select Committee on Restoring Law and Order, will be chaired by State Rep. John Lawrence, a Republican who represents parts of Chester and Lancaster Counties. He is joined by Republican colleagues Wendi Thomas, of Bucks County, and Torren Ecker, of Adams and Cumberland Counties.

Two Philadelphia Democrats were also appointed: Amen Brown and Danilo Burgos, both of whom initially voted against the committee’s formation but now say they welcome an examination of the city’s gun violence crisis.

The House voted largely along party lines last month to establish the committee, which will investigate, review, and draft a report on Krasner’s tenure amid Philadelphia’s rise in violent crime. It will also review the enforcement and prosecution of crimes, the use of public funds for that purpose, and his office’s treatment of victims, among other things. The committee may make recommendations for the impeachment of Krasner, or the removal of other elected officials, should any potential evidence uncovered show wrongdoing.

» READ MORE: Bring back stop-and-frisk? With shootings soaring, some on Philly City Council say the controversial tactic merits another look.

Many Democrats have criticized the effort, including Krasner, who called the investigation a “farce” and a political stunt that may be unconstitutional. Some questioned how the committee could be unbiased given the framing of the effort, and said it has a “preordained conclusion.”

Impeachment is a rare step for the state legislature to take, and it has historically been reserved for egregious misconduct. To succeed, such an effort would have to show evidence of corruption or clear misbehavior.

Lawrence declined an interview request, saying it would be inappropriate to comment before the investigation is complete.

“As chairman, I do not enter this work with any predetermined outcome in mind. The committee will review the facts and follow them wherever they lead,” Lawrence said in a statement.

Ecker and Thomas did not respond to interview requests.

The two Philadelphia Democrats on the committee — Brown, who represents parts of West Philadelphia, and Burgos, who represents parts of Kensington and North Philadelphia — initially disagreed with the committee’s mission and voted against its formation last month.

They said they believe Philadelphians democratically elected Krasner, and that it’s unfair to single him out while other Pennsylvania municipalities are also experiencing higher rates of gun violence.

But as committee members, they said they’re dedicated to impartiality and hope the investigation helps officials better understand what’s driving the city’s violence.

“I am dedicated to remaining impartial to make sure the city and Philadelphians are safe, and that criminals are being held accountable,” Brown said. “That’s all I want.”

Burgos, who’s been in office since 2018, said he was told the committee would look into crime issues across the state, not just in Philadelphia. The resolution’s phrasing, though, does not specify that.

“That’s how it was pitched to me,” he said. “That’s how they got me to say yes.”

“If they want to go down a rabbit hole, I’m ready to fight for my city,” Burgos said. “I just really hope that we can do right by our citizens and not make this about politicians.”

Brown, a state lawmaker since 2020, said he supports Krasner’s vision of criminal justice reform but wants to look into how the office has handled the cases of repeat offenders.

“People need to know that if you repeatedly commit violent crimes, you will be held accountable,” said Brown, who has supported legislation for mandatory minimum sentences on certain gun-possession charges. “Our city lacks that right now.”

Burgos said he’s “not a fan” of how the DA has responded to the escalating gun violence crisis but recognizes there is no easy solution. He hopes the committee interviews rank-and-file staffers to hear their firsthand experiences handling cases, interviewing witnesses, and working to hold perpetrators accountable for crime in court.

“There’s a lot of moving parts,” Burgos said, “and I believe this committee might get to the bottom of it and make recommendations to improve the situation in the city and state.”

» READ MORE: Philly gun arrests are on a record pace, but convictions drop under DA Krasner

Krasner’s office has said prosecuting violent offenders is a top priority and has criticized the state legislature for not passing stricter gun legislation or investing in crime prevention efforts like community programming and schools.

For impeachment to succeed, experts say, the committee will have to point to more than political or ideological disagreements over how Krasner manages his office or prosecutes crime. It would also require the state House to approve impeachment by a majority vote, then the state Senate would hold a trial, and conviction would require a two-thirds vote. Republicans do not hold a two-thirds majority in the Senate and would have to sway Democrats to support the effort.