District Attorney Larry Krasner likes boogeymen.
Although Frank Rizzo has been dead 30 years, Krasner mentioned him four times during Monday afternoon’s Zoom district attorney debate sponsored by the Philadelphia Bar Association. He waved the name like an amulet to ward off evil.
Then, on the subject of immigration (which was actually about illegal immigration) Krasner reached into his magic bag for a Donald J. Trump red herring, saying he and Mayor Kenney fashioned a document to withdraw cooperation with ICE. They did that because of Trump’s, you know, horrible and inhumane policies.
Except for this: It was nimrod Mayor Michael Nutter who was browbeaten by Open Border types into ending the agreement with ICE, and this happened under President Barack Obama, the deporter-in-chief, he was sometimes called.
This question asked by moderator Riley Ross was would the candidates maintain Philadelphia’s Sanctuary City status.
Krasner would, of course, because there are few laws he likes to enforce. Sadly, his Democratic challenger, Carlos Vega, agreed, after some double-talk about how illegals are “victimized twice.” No, they are the perps, not the victim.
Republican candidate Chuck Peruto said he wasn’t much interested in prosecuting garden variety illegals, but if they committed a felony, they’d get time — before being deported.
Wow! Enforcement would a relief, because Philly policy is to “protect” all illegals — even those who have committed a felony. Like this creep.
This is one case, there are others, but Google isn’t always perfect.
The Bar arrangement didn’t allow candidates to answer back if another charged him with something.
Krasner had the nicest backdrop, with a bookcase full of photos. Peruto was in his office and forgot to smile. Vega seemed to be at a teacher’s desk with a blackboard behind him.
Some highlights: In opening comments, Krasner said he should be reelected because, “promises made, promises kept.”
Odd that he hates Trump but stole a campaign motto.
Peruto said, yeah, you kept promises, but they made things worse. He also called Krasner a “politician” for dredging up Rizzo, who has nothing to do with anything. Peruto certainly did stand alone.
Vega said the city is “more dangerous” than at any time in the last 30 years and victims need a protector who “looks like them,” and told a politically incorrect truth when he said most homicide victims in Philly were people of color.
Krasner said crime is up everywhere, even in Republican cities, so he can’t blamed for the crime spike here.
Vega said his failure to prosecute and to reduce charges helped explain the rising crime rate, and Peruto said Krasner’s policy of not prosecuting shoplifting crimes under $500 promoted “Christmas shopping,” of the illegal kind.
Defense attorney Peruto has been a life-long Democrat who is running to defeat Krasner if he gets past underdog Vega in the primary. I’ll also note that in a context of bringing people together, Peruto revealed he shops at Costco. (This did not amount to an endorsement.)
Speaking of that, Krasner charged that the “leadership” of the FOP endorses Vega (I don’t believe an endorsement has been made), but they are all white men that endorsed Trump, he said, playing the race card.
They also represent officers who have been sued more than two dozen times when Krasner was in private practice. Is Krasner surprised the FOP treats him like a leper? (And Krasner has the support of George Soros, so there.)
Does Krasner under-charge on many crimes?
“Absolutely,” said Peruto, while Vega pussyfooted. Peruto talked about everything from gun violence to car break-ins.
Vega recovered by citing 180 gun arrests, with 114 dismissed by the D.A. in a city that supposedly has a gun crisis. That might have been his strongest point.
Krasner’s was his charge that Vega refiled charges against a convict that Krasner’s conviction integrity unit got sprung, and Vega used the testimony of two officers who allegedly coerced confessions.
The biggest surprise from Peruto was his belief that those convicted, having gone through trial and appeals, were rarely not guilty.
He sounds like a D.A. already. He also was the only candidate to ridicule the “school to prison pipeline” for the farce it is. The only time a kid in trouble at school gets to the police district, is when it is a felony, he said.
Which he would prosecute as an adult, unlike Krasner and Vega, who talked about exceptions.
Which there always are.
I guess I have to add what will be buzzing on social media. When Krasner pointed to academic studies that support some of his ideas, Peruto replied that studies by academics, sociologists, and psychologists belong here, holding up his wastebasket.
pallie,
you covered pretty much all of the low lights. Larry. the politician, did a lot of homework. We found out that none of this is his fault ! There’s a crime wave sweeping the country.
Anyhow, I posted this on facebook. See ya at the pols.
Tony
still HAPPY MONDAY !!!
I watched a hour of the candidates’ forum.
If you didn’t know any better. You would think that “Let ’em Loose” Larry was just another blowhard cop hating dimocrat liberal socialist that owes his very existence to george soros ! But he’s not that. He’s all that and more ! President Biden would like to tear down the “wall”. Krasner would like to demolish prisons. I can see how he got elected, and the scary part is, he’ll probably get elected again. Then run for governor !
Vega is a nice enough guy. He’s not as bad as Krasner. He is a bleeding heart liberal dimocrat, but with some brains and honor. Hopefully, Vega will get enough support to knock Krasner out of the primary.
Peruto is an old fashion law and order guy. He likes his cops and wants people accountable for their actions. Nothing he said tonight was over the top or radical. But then again. I’m a republican who believes in accountability and responsibility ! With the city 8 to 1 dimocrat, there won’t be any republicans holding many offices for years to come.
So boys and girls. Tell your friends and their friends to vote Krasner out of office. It will take years to undo the damage caused by this poor leadership.
THOUGHT FOR TODAY
VOTING FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.
I am always amazed at how conclusions are reached by different paths to endorse a candidate. Some vote on ethenticity. Some on party lines. Some prefer how good the candidate speaks or on their past record. Others like feel-good words like progressive, a new approach, citizen input etc. Why compare our crime rate or shoplifting with other cities unless they have something to help solve our problem. To me and maybe I am too basic but when you are elected to be a prosecutor representing those who placed you in the office your job is to issue justice to any crime that affects the moral code of right and wrong. Since when is there a level of permitted theft? If you fail to perform a level of reduction in gun violence or treat victims of crime with disdain and fail to respond to questions about your job then you have failed all of us and we should seek an alternative. I await a debate to form an opinion on production, not excuses. I seek arrests not permissive approval but most of all a set of balls rather than political rhetoric.
Tom,
You’ve been around awhile, like the rest of us. Surely you see that pervasive slanted media coverage is the key to winning an election.
As I stated above. Krasner got the job because money and bull put him there. The people in the inner city voted him in, simply because Krasner said that he would keep their family members out of jail. ( my words ) Same with cash bail. As he and Vega stated. The poor can’t afford cash bail, so we’ll either reduce it to nothing, or something close to it. ( my words again )
Krasner IS doing the job he was hired to do, ( in their opinion ) and that’s why he’ll get re-elected. Certainly, we with some brains know that Krasner never should have been elected. Vega, as I said, is the better of the two. Sorry to say, if people and money don’t get behind him, then he’s out.
Peruto would do a fantastic job, if he was allowed to. Keep in mind, politically, he works for the mayor, not the people, as does all city government.
As for the forum tonight. They was productive from an entertaining point of view. There was no debate. Whoever got the last word, got to take a shot at the other two candidates. It was civil, if you didn’t mind President Trump getting flogged by Krasner. The three of them threw “softballs” at each other. What is needed now, is real actual fact checking. Krasner had his spin on firing and hiring in his office. He explained the Christmas thieving with the $500 gifts. His take on cooperating with the feds, especially ICE and what ever else I missed.
Again. We know the devil that we have. Get your friends and their friends to vote Krasner out. Vega has to be better, if only because he has class, honor and respect.
Tony
Chuck Peruto is the Answer for Philadelphia as District Attorney Hands Down !!!
Fantastic article
Mayor Stu Bykofsky… has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it fellas? 🙂
Thanks. Been there, done that.
GREAT ARTICLE !!! Peruto is the answer for our city and anyone else would be a mistake !!!
It’s not what the bastards say when seeking votes, it’s what the bastards do once they’re elected that causes all the problems.
There are no guarantees. Pick the best, cross your fingers.