The Pennsylvania Senate voted 29-19 on Wednesday to call Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Democrat, to Senate chambers for a trial to answer for seven articles of impeachment against him. The articles could result in his removal from office.
But the timing of this move is awkward because it was done in a special session on Nov. 30, the last day of the 2021-2022 session. The new session starts at midnight, but no action will be taken because newly elected lawmakers take their oaths of office and are seated in January.
“The majority party is attempting to set an extraordinary and dangerous precedent by continuing to process an impeachment across two legislative sessions on constitutionally illegitimate grounds,” Senate Democrat leader Sen. Jay Costa said on the floor on Wednesday. “The Constitution of our commonwealth and private practice of this body are very clear that any business before the Senate and a House that has not been fully completed, ceases to exist.” There is no impeachment exception to the rules about how the sessions are governed, Costa said….