Federal prosecutors have issued grand jury subpoenas to the office of Democratic Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, escalating legal scrutiny of the citys progressive chief prosecutor.
According to Fox News, two sources familiar with the matter said the subpoenas focus on potential obstruction of justice tied to the handling of criminal cases before federal judges. The sources indicated the move followed a referral by a federal judge, who asked the Justice Department to investigate Krasner and his top deputy for possible criminal conduct.
Krasner's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and the Justice Department likewise declined to comment on the ongoing matter. The development underscores growing concern that an elected prosecutor who has championed soft-on-crime policies may now be facing questions about his own adherence to the rule of law.
The subpoenas arrive just over a month after U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond referred Krasner and his deputy, Matthew Stiegler, to the DOJ, stating that evidence in a murder conviction case could amount to false statements, perjury, obstruction of justice and conspiracy. Neither Krasner nor Stiegler has been charged, but the referral itself is an extraordinary rebuke of a sitting district attorney.
Diamond also removed Krasner and Stiegler from further involvement in the case while stopping short of disqualifying the entire district attorneys office. The judges decision suggests he viewed the alleged misconduct as serious yet still potentially confined to the DAs top leadership.
In a sharply worded opinion, Diamond alleged that Krasner and Stiegler tried to pressure prosecutors into presenting a false narrative to the court and that Krasner warned of "consequences" if staff alerted the court to an internal conflict. "I have thus reluctantly concluded that Philadelphias highest law enforcement official and one of his top assistants may have violated the law," Diamond wrote.
The dispute centers on the case of Dennis Johnson, convicted in 2009 of killing Kenyatta Smith. The DAs office asserted in a 2022 filing that Johnson was entitled to habeas corpus relief based on ineffective assistance of counsel, according to The Associated Press.
Prosecutors later flagged potential conflicts involving Stiegler and urged that the case be handed to the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office. According to the opinion, Krasner resisted that recommendation and insisted someone from his office had to remain involved to "protect the office."
Krasner has publicly rejected the judges findings, signaling a protracted legal and political fight in a city already battered by rising crime under progressive governance. "I respectfully and vigorously disagree with the courts findings of fact and conclusions of law," Krasner said at the time. "I look forward to appealing to the higher court as soon as the law allows. This remains a pending matter, which limits for now my and my offices ability to respond in the media."
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