The clouds over Pennsylvania State Rep. Kevin Boyle's legal troubles parted briefly after the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office confirmed the withdrawal of an arrest warrant that had hung over his head. DA Larry Krasner, addressing the matter, laid bare the straightforward facts – a "gap in information" had cast a shadow over the case until new light was shown yesterday, revealing that no active protection from abuse order existed that Boyle could've violated. This disclosure came ahead of the primary elections, in which Boyle is slated to run for an eighth term, as reported by 6abc.
With an arrest warrant looming, Boyle had remained actively engaged in his legislative duties, voting remotely. Finding themselves having navigated through the murk of incomplete information, House Democratic leaders have since put forth a resolution to establish a process assessing whether state representatives are "incapacitated" and need to face sanction or expulsion. In the statement obtained by 6abc, Majority Leader Matt Bradford spoke to Boyle's trials, describing his "deteriorating mental health over the past few months has been heartbreaking to witness."
By dovetailing politics and the administration of justice, concern arose that the timing of the warrant's withdrawal may be politically motivated. Krasner tried to clear the air, asserting, "Regardless of what candidate I might like or might not like, I don't think it's right," thus indicating that the announcement's timing in proximity to the election was mere coincidence, according to the information shared by 6abc.
Yet, not all questions have found answers in this tangled weave of law and politics, with Krasner admitting that he hasn't spoken to Boyle since the warrant was issued and that he was not privy to the state representative's current mental health status. "It is my hope that his mental state is being addressed, it is my hope he and everyone connected with this situation is in a safe place, but I can't tell you more than that," as he told NBC Philadelphia. While the investigation persists, the gears of justice and politics grind on, with Boyle's position in the house—and his future as a legislator—hanging in the balance.
