For months now, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has been fighting Act 40, a new law sponsored by Republican State Senator Wayne Langerholc, that would give a special prosecutor jurisdiction over any crime committed on SEPTA’s property.
The bill was passed by lawmakers in Harrisburg and signed into law by Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro in December 2023.
Battleground Politics with Lauren Mayk
During a previous episode of Battleground Politics, Shapiro said Act 40 allows the state to put more law enforcement resources towards addressing crime in Philadelphia.
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“It’s concurrent jurisdiction,” Shapiro said. “Something that already exists in our laws and it was voted on and passed by state representatives and senators from Philadelphia and the surrounds where SEPTA is to provide that level of authority and the attorney general is elected by the people of Pennsylvania as well.”
Krasner has publicly disagreed with Shapiro’s stance on the law however and has argued that Act 40 goes against the will of voters who elected him twice as Philadelphia’s district attorney. In the latest episode of Battleground Politics, Krasner spoke with Lauren Mayk about Act 40, the recent violence on and near SEPTA properties, working with the new Parker administration and whether or not he plans to run for a third term.
Krasner’s interview took place on Wednesday, March 6, after multiple shootings on or around SEPTA and hours before a mass shooting near a SEPTA bus injured eight high school students.
Here is a full breakdown of the episode:
1:43 – Preparing for the possibility of a special prosecutor
2:36 – Krasner on Shapiro’s stance on Act 40
4:37 – Support for Krasner’s fight against Act 40
5:41 – Protecting the upcoming election in Philly
7:37 – Reaction to SEPTA’s stance on Act 40
9:30 – Krasner on Act 40’s sponsor
10:39 – How a special prosecutor would handle SEPTA violence
13:50 – How to stop SEPTA violence
15:35 – SEPTA cracking down on all crime
16:35 – Crime in Philly
18:11 – Krasner’s relationship with Mayor Parker, Commissioner Bethel
19:08 – Crime and drug use in Kensington
20:19 – Krasner’s role in Philly drug arrests
21:43 – Will Krasner run for re-election?
25:19 - Shapiro administration’s response to Krasner
25:52 – Senator Langerholc’s response to Krasner
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