BlackLivesMatter Lawyer Wins Race As Philadelphia Prosecutor

Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
An anti-Trump backlash at the polls this election season has seen a Black Lives Matter lawyer elected as the district attorney of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Magazine reported. Larry Krasner, a longtime civil rights lawyer and thorn in the side of Philly’s City Hall, cruised to victory over Beth Grossman, the Republican candidate.
Though a relatively minor election, the DA race saw big money injected into it by major donors. George Soros, the billionaire philanthropist, donated $14.5 million to a Super PAC that supported Krasner during the Democratic primary.
Krasner won that primary handily, making him a shoo-in for the general election in the overwhelmingly Democratic city.
“I always did this because I think trials should always be fair, and innocent people should not be convicted, and individuals’ civil rights should be preserved,” Krasner, the son of a Jewish father and evangelical minister mother, has said. “I don’t see a big distinction between doing that as a prosecutor and doing it as a defense attorney.”
Contact Ari Feldman at [email protected] or on Twitter @aefeldman.
Hello, fellow Forward reader! I’m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.
I’m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today’s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward’s independence — made possible by the generosity of its membership.
The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.
— Joel Brown, Forward board chair
