DA Larry Krasner speaks after Pennsylvania House impeachment
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner says the Republican-led House Select Committee on Restoring Law and Order never gave him a chance to explain his policies. Krasner spoke publicly for the first time since the Pennsylvania House impeached him last week.
Community leaders joined the Krasner at a news conference at City Hall on Monday.
Lawmakers voted 107-85 last week to impeach Krasner, setting the stage for what would be the first Pennsylvania Senate impeachment trial in nearly three decades.
Krasner, who was overwhelmingly reelected by Philadelphia voters last year, is not accused of breaking the law. Instead, Republicans argued he should be removed from office for various reasons, including his failure to prosecute some minor crimes and his bail request policies, his staff oversight and reports that his office didn't adequately notify crime victims about certain matters. They also alleged that Krasner obstructed the House's investigation of his office.
The Philadelphia district attorney has denied the allegations. He says he was not given the chance to explain his policies.
"There has been a very deliberate effort throughout the entire House, Pennsylvania House 'process' -- if you want to call that a process -- there's been a very, very serious effort not only to erase votes and silence people but to silence me," Krasner said Monday at a news conference. "My request to speak the first time, denied. My request to speak the second time, denied."
Removing Krasner from office requires a two-thirds majority vote in the state Senate.
So far, no trial date has been set.