U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond — a George W. Bush appointee who's been on the federal bench for two decades — just referred Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner to the Department of Justice for criminal investigation. The charges on the table: conspiracy, perjury, and obstruction of justice.
Not a bad Monday for accountability.
The referral stems from the case of Dennis Johnson, convicted in 2009 for the murder of Kenyatta Smith. In 2022, Krasner's office filed documents seeking habeas relief for Johnson — and what Judge Diamond found during the evidentiary hearings that followed was, in his words, "troubling." That's federal-judge speak for "someone's getting referred."
The judge's concern centered on how the DA's office handled the case internally. Four supervisors in Krasner's office characterized the DA's response to the investigation as "apoplectic" and "furious" — not exactly the demeanor of a man confident in his office's conduct. Krasner's top deputy, Matthew Stiegler, was also implicated in the findings.
Krasner's public response was predictably defiant. "I respectfully and vigorously disagree with the court's findings of fact and conclusions of law," he said, while also claiming the moves were necessary to "protect the office." Protect it from what, exactly? From a federal judge who read the record?
He also reportedly called Pennsylvania Attorney General David Sunday — a Republican — "evil." That's the rhetorical playbook when the facts aren't cooperating: attack the person asking the questions.
Krasner is the textbook Soros-backed prosecutor. Elected on a platform of "reimagining" criminal justice, which in practice meant deprioritizing prosecution, emptying courtrooms, and treating violent crime as a social symptom rather than a law enforcement problem. Philadelphia's murder rate during his tenure became its own argument against the experiment. Former Democratic AG Josh Shapiro — now governor — had his own tensions with Krasner's office, which tells you something about how far outside the lines this DA has operated.
What makes this referral different from the usual political noise is the source. This isn't a Republican governor grandstanding. This isn't a cable news segment. A sitting federal judge, after conducting evidentiary hearings and reviewing testimony under oath, concluded there was enough evidence of criminal conduct to send the matter to the DOJ. That's a procedural step judges don't take lightly, and one that carries weight no press conference ever could.
Krasner built a career telling Philadelphia that the justice system needed to be softer, more forgiving, more "equitable." The system just responded — with a criminal referral bearing his name on it.
