Ecker: House Committee Moves to Hold Philadelphia DA in Contempt
HARRISBURG – The House Select Committee on Restoring Law and Order today unanimously moved to recommend that Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner be held in contempt due to his refusal to comply with subpoenas issued by the committee last month.
“This is not a decision we, as a committee, came to lightly,” said Ecker, who is one of five representatives appointed to the bipartisan select committee. “This committee is steadfast in its intention to get to the bottom of the current unrest in Philadelphia and being denied access to important documents hinders progress in achieving that goal.”
The action comes after Krasner twice declined to accept hand-delivered subpoenas issued by the select committee. Krasner’s lawyers finally accepted an electronic version of the subpoena, but Krasner and his office said they will not comply with it. As such, the committee approved with unanimous, bipartisan support to recommend to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives that Krasner be held in contempt.
“No one, including Philadelphia’s top law enforcement official, is above the law, or above being held accountable,” Ecker said. “It is extremely rare for the House to take up such a measure and this showcases the gravity of the situation in which we find ourselves.”
House Resolution 216 established the Select Committee on Restoring Law and Order to investigate, review and make legislative findings and recommendations to the House of Representatives regarding the rising rates of crime in the City of Philadelphia; the city’s use of public funds intended for law enforcement and prosecuting crime; the enforcement of crime victim rights in Philadelphia; and the use of public funds for the purpose of benefitting the city’s crime victims. The resolution authorizes the chairman to subpoena information relevant to the committee’s work.