Politics
NEW: Prominent Democrat Official Referred To DOJ For Prosecution, Will Face Grand Jury
Philadelphia’s progressive district attorney, Larry Krasner, is facing a new round of federal scrutiny after the Justice Department reportedly issued grand jury subpoenas to his office following a judge’s referral for possible criminal investigation.
The subpoenas were delivered in recent days and concern potential obstruction of justice involving proceedings before federal judges, according to Fox News, which cited two sources familiar with the matter.
The development comes more than a month after U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond referred Krasner and his top deputy, Matthew Stiegler, to federal authorities over allegations involving false statements, perjury, obstruction of justice and conspiracy.
Neither Krasner nor Stiegler has been criminally charged.
The controversy centers on a murder case that dates back nearly two decades and a dispute over how Philadelphia prosecutors handled the defendant’s challenge to his conviction.
In his ruling, Diamond accused Krasner and Stiegler of attempting to influence prosecutors into presenting a misleading account to the court.
🚨 MAJOR BREAKING: Soros-backed Philly DA Larry Krasner is under a FEDERAL DOJ INVESTIGATION, he’s facing GRAND JURY SUBPOENAS related to “obstruction of justice”
THE HAMMER! 🔥🔥🔥
Krasner is known for doing ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to be soft-on-crime and jeopardize Americans’ safety, releasing them as much as possible
It’s LONG OVERDUE we bring FAFO to these prosecutors who keep releasing k*llers and criminals.
This comes after four of Krasner’s OWN supervisors testified that he pushed them to mislead the court in a m*rder case to “protect the office,” then threatened them with “consequences” when they refused
This investigation could be related, but that’s not officially confirmed just yet
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 20, 2026
The judge also alleged that Krasner warned staff members of “consequences” if they disclosed an internal conflict.
“I have thus reluctantly concluded that Philadelphia’s highest law enforcement official and one of his top assistants may have violated the law,” Diamond wrote.
Diamond disqualified Krasner and Stiegler from further participation in the case but allowed the remaining members of the district attorney’s office to continue their involvement.
The underlying case involves Dennis Johnson, who was convicted in 2009 of murdering Kenyatta Smith.
RELATED: Federal Judge Refers Philly DA Larry Krasner To DOJ For Criminal Investigation
In 2022, Krasner’s office filed court documents supporting Johnson’s request for habeas corpus relief, arguing that he had received ineffective assistance from his defense attorney.
The proceedings later became contentious when prosecutors identified potential conflicts involving Stiegler and recommended transferring the matter to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
According to Diamond’s opinion, Larry Krasner resisted that recommendation and repeatedly insisted that someone from his office remain involved to “protect the office.”
The judge’s subsequent findings raised questions about whether the district attorney and his deputy had improperly interfered with the handling of the federal case.
Those concerns ultimately prompted Diamond to refer the matter to the Justice Department for consideration of possible criminal violations.
Now, the reported grand jury subpoenas suggest federal investigators are gathering additional information concerning the allegations.
However, the issuance of subpoenas does not establish criminal wrongdoing or guarantee that prosecutors will seek an indictment.
Krasner, a prominent figure in the progressive prosecutor movement, has strongly disputed the judge’s findings.
“I respectfully and vigorously disagree with the court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law,” Krasner said in a statement following the referral.
“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 office’s ability to respond in the media.”
The district attorney’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News‘ latest request for comment, while the Justice Department declined to discuss the subpoenas.
The investigation places one of Philadelphia’s most recognizable Democratic officials under federal scrutiny over allegations involving the administration of justice.
