In a move that reeks of political gamesmanship, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, backed by liberal billionaire George Soros, is pushing forward with efforts to try and charge individuals linked to the January 6th events.
These individuals were previously pardoned by President Donald Trump in a sweeping act of justice on his return to the White House. Krasner, a progressive Democrat known for his leftist leanings, is now attempting to maneuver around this presidential pardon by seeking state-level charges in Pennsylvania. Despite Trump’s lawful exercise of his presidential powers, Krasner’s determination to chase down these defendants underscores the relentless pursuit by some within the Democratic Party to undermine Trump’s presidency and his actions.
Krasner’s endeavor is already laden with substantial legal obstacles. Fundamental principles like double jeopardy, which protect against being tried for the same crime twice, stand in his way. However, Krasner appears undeterred. As he told CNN reporter Marshall Cohen, “you can have a state prosecution for conduct that was not fully encompassed in the federal prosecution.” Such a statement illustrates the far reach to which some will go to continue the pursuit of punitive measures against Trump supporters, even when federal avenues have been thoroughly exhausted and justice duly served through pardon.
We need to remember a similar situation that unfolded in 2019 involving Paul Manafort, the former campaign manager for Donald Trump. Back when Trump seemed poised to issue a presidential pardon, then-Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance quickly swung into action, announcing state charges against Manafort mere moments after he had been sentenced on federal charges. This underhanded approach was clearly designed to find a loophole around presidential pardon powers, adding fuel to the fire of partisan persecution.
NEWS: Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner, a progressive Democrat, is exploring state charges against pardoned US Capitol rioters from PA. This would face significant legal hurdles, like double jeopardy. But he told me, "you can have a state prosecution for conduct that was not fully…
— Marshall Cohen (@MarshallCohen) January 21, 2025
Despite these cunning tactics by the Southern District of New York (SDNY) to navigate around established double jeopardy protections, the legal system did not support their efforts. Manafort’s case eventually was dismissed when his legal team successfully argued that the state charges were too similar to federal charges for them to proceed, illustrating the robustness of double jeopardy protections when rightly applied.
This ongoing saga echoes the same determination to sidestep justice as rendered by a Trump presidency. It emphasizes a recurring theme: liberals, backed by influential figures like Soros, are desperately attempting to challenge any and every move made by Trump. By potentially abusing their power and resources, they are turning the legal system into a playground for political retribution rather than an institution of impartiality.