Lawmakers explain why they want Judge Xander Orenstein investigated
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A handful of state lawmakers are calling for a controversial Allegheny County judge to be impeached.
Allegheny County District Judge Xander Orenstein is facing bipartisan criticism for releasing Anthony Quesen, the suspect in the deadly Montour Trail stabbing, in a prior assault case.
"We do need to investigate Judge Orenstein," Republican state Rep. Valerie Gaydos said. "This is a pattern of behavior that has put our communities at risk."
On Monday, a group of Pennsylvania State House Republicans announced they intend to introduce a resolution for the impeachment of Orenstein. The news comes a week after Benjamin Brallier was stabbed to death on the Montour Trail. Brallier was a Liquor Control Enforcement agent with the Pennsylvania State Police and was off duty at the time.
The suspect in the case, Quesen, was charged in June 2023 with robbery and other crimes at Point State Park in Pittsburgh. Orenstein granted Quesen a no-cash bond, and court records show the suspect never returned for court.
Judge Orenstein was pulled from arraignment hearings in April after suspects facing serious crimes were also granted no-cash bail. One was accused of leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase and the other was accused of trafficking more than $1 million worth of suspected fentanyl.
Gaydos' district includes parts of the Montour Trail. She sent a letter last week to the Judicial Conduct Board of Pennsylvania to investigate Orenstein.
"We have a lot of tools in our toolbox to address this very serious crime that occurred right here on the Montour Trail," she said. "That's one of them, impeachment is one. Addressing it with the Supreme Court is one."
Democratic state Rep. Anita Kulik has also been critical of Orenstein. She is calling on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to investigate.
"It is a more arduous process to get an impeachment through," she said. "In my opinion as being an attorney also, the best process is to go through the Supreme Court."
"I want that letter to go to the Supreme Court and ask them to please do more investigating into this," Kulik added. "They should investigate this magisterial district justice thoroughly, all his cases, everything he's handled to see if he really is competent to hold this job."