Free Republic

In his first week on the job, he fired 31 prosecutors from the DA’s office because they weren’t committed to the changes he intended to make. “Change is never easy, but DA Krasner was given a clear mandate from the voters for transformational change,” his spokesperson said at the time. “Today’s actions are necessary to achieve that agenda.” Next, Krasner obeyed a court order to release a list of 29 officers from the Philadelphia Police Department that were on a “do-not-call list” — meaning that they were so tainted that they would be considered unreliable as witnesses. The police officers...

Truth in Accounting .. based on fiscal year 2016 comprehensive annual financial reports .. found that 64 cities do not have enough money to pay all of their bills, and in total, the cities have racked up $335.4 billion in unfunded municipal debt. ... Government reports are lengthy, cumbersome, and sometimes misleading documents ... taxpayers and citizens deserve easy-to-understand, truthful, and transparent financial information from their governments. ... to balance the budget, elected officials have not included the true costs of the government in their budget calculations and have pushed costs onto future taxpayers. ... TIA was unable to rank...

Offer shorter prison sentences in plea deals. Decline certain classes of criminal charges. And explain, on the record, why taxpayers should fork over thousands of dollars per year to incarcerate people. Those are some of the instructions that Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has outlined for the office’s 300 prosecutors — perhaps the boldest set of policies yet of his busy two-month tenure, and in line with his campaign promise to reduce the number of people behind bars. --SNIP-- The cost of imprisoning a criminal — estimated by Krasner’s office to be at least $42,000 annually — is roughly equivalent...

•President Calvin Coolidge was born in Plymouth, Vt., on July 4, 1872. He is the only president born on July 4; however, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe all died on the Fourth of July. •One lucky Philadelphian purchased a $4 picture at a flea market. Behind the picture was an original 1776 printing of the Declaration of Independence. It was sold to TV producer Norman Lear for $8.1 million. •After the war, King George III rationalized that Washington would become a dictator and make the Americans yearn for royal rule. When he was told that Washington planned to...

Two women have accused state Rep. Nick Miccarelli of sexually or physically assaulting them in separate incidents over the last six years, The Caucus and The Philadelphia Inquirer have learned. Top House leaders have launched an inquiry into the allegations, which the accusers leveled in a confidential complaint in early February, according to documents reviewed by the newspapers and interviews with multiple sources. Miccarelli strongly denied the accusations. The women allege in the complaint that the Delaware County Republican threatened, stalked, intimidated or sexually assaulted them. One is a state official and the other is a political consultant. The accusers,...

A first honors student at Mastery Charter Thomas Campus, the 12-year-old loves baseball, but Joey can’t shake the troublemakers at school. “They don’t like me, they never did,” he says. Overnight, this seventh-grader’s schoolyard differences followed him home, spray-painted for all to see on his South Philadelphia home where he lives with his parents and two younger siblings.

Philadelphia’s top prosecutor said Wednesday his office will stop jailing people who cannot afford to pay cash bail in minor criminal cases, affirming the commitment of the country’s fifth-largest city to a national movement that argues the practice targets poor Americans. District Attorney Larry Krasner said his decision to instruct city prosecutors not to seek a bail payment in a number of misdemeanor and non-violent felony crimes will correct a criminal justice system that discriminates against African-Americans, Latinos and poor people. “There is absolutely no reason why someone who will show up for court, is not a risk of flight,...

HARRISBURG, Pa. – Pennsylvania's high court issued a new congressional district map for the state's 2018 elections on its self-imposed deadline Monday, all but ensuring that Democratic prospects will improve in several seats and that Republican lawmakers challenge it in federal court. The map of Pennsylvania's 18 congressional districts is to be in effect for the May 15 primary and substantially overhauls a congressional map widely viewed as among the nation's most gerrymandered. The map was approved in a 4-3 decision. Most significantly, the new map likely gives Democrats a better shot at winning seats in Philadelphia's heavily populated and...

DALLAS - If you can’t win big, go small. That’s the strategy gaining momentum among criminal justice reformers in the age of Trump, as the federal government hardens its approach to law enforcement. Instead of pouring money and energy into squeezing change out of Washington, national civil rights organizations are teaming with local groups to push their agendas in county-level district attorney races, where a few thousand votes can determine who asserts the most influence over the local justice system. Picking their targets carefully, and crunching election data to influence pivotal voter blocs - and benefiting from the largesse of...

PENNINGTON, N.J.—The past few years have been thick with promises of shiny new infrastructure and the revival of American greatness. Funny, then, that so little has been made of a quiet victory for U.S. infrastructure due later this year. By September 2018, one of the country’s most famous civil-engineering projects will finally complete construction, six decades after work on it began. Interstate 95, the country’s most used highway, will finally run as one continuous road between Miami and Maine by the late summer. The interstate’s infamous “gap” on the Pennsylvania and New Jersey border will be closed, turning I-95 into...

The Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl for the first time in the franchise's history on Sunday, but several players have already indicated that they will not participate in the traditional White House visit, citing their opposition to President Donald Trump. Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins, who also raised his fist during the National Anthem this past season, told CNN on Monday that he intends to skip the White House visit. "Nah, I personally do not anticipate attending," Jenkins told CNN's "New Day." Wide receiver Torrey Smith, who also raised his fist on the field to express solidarity with the "Black...

Less than 24 hours after hoisting the Lombardi Trophy into the air in Minneapolis, the total number of Philadelphia Eagles players who said they won’t visit the White House if the team is invited for the ceremonial championship visit rose to three. Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins— a prominent voice the past two seasons in NFL player protests of police brutality and social injustice— told CNN Monday that he will not attend the White House if President Donald Trump was to extend the invitation.

In the aftermath of the chaos that erupted in Philadelphia as Eagles fans tore through the streets celebrating their Super Bowl victory, many could not help but notice the difference in how the public and officials reacted to riots by fans compared to those prompted by civil unrest.

The Philadelphia Eagles won their first Super Bowl on Sunday night, beating the favored New England Patriots, and even though they played in Minneapolis, there was a distinctly Early Americana vibe with the two colonial-era powerhouses and their mascots — Patriots and Eagles — facing each other. Saturday Night Live ran with that on Saturday night, pitting the Patriots of New England (including Connecticut!) against the Philadelphia delegation (the "Iggles") at a Revolutionary War council in 1775 Philadelphia.

President Trump and the first lady celebrated the Super Bowl at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. To kick off the celebration, Trump and Melania watched the Florida Atlantic University Marching Band and cheerleaders perform patriotic songs in front of the club. Trump, who is a big fan of the New England Patriots, wore a black suit and red tie. Melania was not so subtle. The first lady made sure to show who she was rooting for by wearing Patriots colors. Melania was wearing the red, white and blue of the Patriots as she watched the performance.

This time, the New England Patriots were the victims of a Super Bowl comeback. MVP Nick Foles threw for three touchdowns and caught another as the Eagles defeated the Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis, Minn. Sunday night to win the franchise’s first NFL championship since 1960.

Early this morning, Indiana Colts player Edwin Jackson was struck & killed by a suspected drunk driver who was unlicensed & ran from scene. Inmate booking records show the driver, Alex Cabrera Gonsales, is from Mexico w/an ICE detainer on him. h/t @JTTriguero

So what did you do? If you had a moment of weakness and watched the game, you can also confess here. My family? We ordered Out Back takeout and relaxed at home. Since we have never watched “Ash Versus Evil Dead” we started binge watching Season 1. It’s a hoot and the actor (Bruce Campbell) who plays the lead character bears an uncanny resemblance to Mitt Romney.

No players knelt or sat during the national anthem as the Super Bowl kicked off in Minneapolis on Sunday, according to The Associated Press. Pop singer Pink performed a rendition of the song as players for the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles stood on the sidelines.

Let the Games begin!