A House Democrat who is outspoken in his dislike for former President Donald Trump, and his desire to see him criminally prosecuted is giving his own legally troubled sibling a pass.
Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), a congressman from the Philadelphia area who declared in January 2021, “Donald Trump should be in prison,” avoided calling on his younger brother Kevin Boyle to face criminal charges despite an arrest warrant for him and a drunken outburst at a bar in his hometown that was captured on video.
“In the days that followed the unprecedented attack against the U.S. Capitol, on January 6th I was among the first members to publicly demand that Donald Trump be held criminally responsible. It’s reassuring that justice is finally being served. It is reassuring to see that justice has finally been served.
The statement noted that the congressman had posted 2021 times on social media calling for Trump to be arrested, using the hashtag “#ArrestTrump.”
In September 2021 – a few months after posting these posts – the younger Boyle, who had been estranged from his wife, was arrested on charges of harassment and for violating an order to protect him against abuse. He was also caught on camera at Gaul & Malt House in Philadelphia, berating staff and threatening he would use his power to shut down the bar as retaliation after being kicked out.
The video shows bar staff claiming that Boyle was the one who started the fight.
“Do you know what the f— I am?” He asked this at one point while staff shouted at him to leave. I’ll close the f —–g bars. This bar has been completed. Do you even know who I am? “This bar will be done tomorrow.”
Kevin Boyle eventually left the bar, and no charges were filed concerning the altercation. However, he was removed from his position as chairman of the Pennsylvania State House and banned from entering the Capitol Building because of this. Since then, Kevin Boyle has not been able to vote, and others have voted on his behalf.
Kevin Boyle has been closing his district offices for weeks. Only by appointment can constituents access services. Even his Democratic House colleagues recognized his decline – several leaders supported a procedure that would have led to his expulsion. They proposed a rule amendment to remove members who are “incapacitated” to ensure due process and maintain the integrity of their legislature.
Earlier this month, he was also issued an arrest warrant for violating the PFA of his wife.
Brendan Boyle, after the arrest warrant was issued, released a press release stating that his brother suffers from a “very severe mental health condition” and it has been a “horror for our family.”
Boyle stated, “Like any family with a loved one who is suffering from a serious illness, we do our best to help him recover.” Boyle’s brother had initially recovered after first experiencing symptoms of an unnamed disorder in 2021 but was again showing symptoms in recent months.
The congressman did not say whether or not his brother should be prosecuted, nor did it say that he should resign from his position as a representative of the state even though he attributed the legal struggles of his brother to a mental illness and his inability to fully represent his constituents at the Capitol.
Larry Krasner, the Philadelphia District Attorney, announced on Monday that his office would withdraw Kevin Boyle’s arrest warrant – a day before primary voters cast their ballots for his primary race against a Democratic opponent – citing previously unavailable information “regarding” the Protection from Abuse Order.
Krasner’s office responded to a request for comment by saying, “While other charges may or may no longer be warranted, there is now no probable cause of violation of an order protecting. We have no more comment for the time being. This is an ongoing investigation.
Kevin Boyle was not given a free pass by the voters, who voted against him in his primary on Wednesday. It has not been confirmed that he won’t serve the rest of his term.
