Philadelphia, PA — Councilmembers Kendra Brooks (At-Large), Helen Gym (At-Large), and Jamie Gauthier (3rd District) issued the following statement in response to the announcement on Wednesday morning that Pennsylvania House Republicans would move to impeach District Attorney Larry Krasner, despite a committee investigation that showed no evidence of criminal misconduct, nor any basis for impeachment:
“For months now, elected officials, many of whom do not live in Philadelphia, have spent their limited time and energy on a baseless attempt to unseat a duly-elected District Attorney. Instead of searching for serious solutions to a rise in gun violence happening across Philadelphia, the Commonwealth, and the country, such as common-sense gun safety laws, which the general assembly has refused to pass, these politicians are taking advantage of people in real pain by attempting to remove our District Attorney. This callous attempt to overturn the will of Philadelphia voters, who re-elected DA Krasner by a 2-1 margin, is nothing more than a thinly veiled political stunt intended to sway voters during an election year. And we won’t stand for it.
“This move is a direct threat to the integrity of our democracy. It sends a clear message to Black and Brown voters that their votes don’t matter. And it sets the stage for any future election to be thrown out, purely for political reasons. As women of color, we are no strangers to outsiders attempting to dismiss the power of our voices and the validity of our votes. Communities like ours have faced generations of disenfranchisement while politicians at all levels use our pain for political theater. And that’s why we must condemn this sham impeachment led by hateful politicians who want to divide us and disempower us.
“Here in Philadelphia, we will not let this circus distract us from the matters at hand — protecting our democracy, protecting each other, and building a city where every resident can thrive. History and the voters will remember who was on the side of democracy, who was on the side of justice, and who was on the side of playing games for political gain. Philadelphia is the birthplace of democracy — and we will stand behind District Attorney Krasner and the integrity of our elections today, tomorrow, and every day until this disgraceful impeachment attempt is put to rest.”
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