By John Oyewale
A Philadelphia Democratic ward leader resigned his position Sunday following a dustup at a campaign event over his recent conviction for sexually assaulting a minor, according to reports.
Democratic 52nd Ward Leader Stephen Jones, 79, resigned after his presence at Democratic Philadelphia District Attorney (DA) Larry Krasner’s breakfast Saturday with party officials sparked a public furor and questions from challenger Judge Patrick Dugan, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
Krasner attended the breakfast to canvass for signatures needed to run for a third term as DA come May. Jones’s presence at the event — two weeks after his conviction and while out on bail — became public knowledge as a video of him reportedly in the same frame with Krasner appeared on social media.
Jones was convicted of aggravated indecent assault of someone under 13, unlawful contact with a minor and additional offenses following a retrial. The jury faced a deadlock during his initial trial in May 2024, according to court records. (RELATED: Blue State Politicians Still Have Posts On Twitter Praising Murdered Journalist Accused Of Having Sex With 15 Year Old)
Jones was convicted Feb. 10 and is expected to be sentenced May 22, according to NBC10 Philadelphia. Dugan claimed he was not invited to the breakfast.
Krasner campaign spokesman Anthony Campisi said that Krasner’s campaign was “totally unaware at the time that Steve Jones, who had been serving as ward leader, has been convicted” of the crimes.
Campisi also claimed that their camp was told Dugan had been invited to the event.
Dugan’s campaign team refuted Campisi’s arguments, alleging Sunday that both the suggestion that Krasner did not really know Jones and the statement that Dugan was also invited to the ward meeting were lies.
“Jones had already made up his mind—he was going to endorse and support his good friend Larry Krasner for a third time just as he did in 2021 and 2017,” Dugan’s campaign team claimed.
They wrote that Krasner oversees all “major” criminal cases. “Did the senior prosecutor ask to revoke the bail? If the judge denied the revocation of bail, did the DAO [District Attorney’s Office] file an appeal? Was there a quid pro quo to let Stephen Jones wait for his sentencing at home in exchange for political support? Is the District Attorney’s office inept or just so broken and dysfunctional that they don’t even communicate internally about a high profile case being prosecuted over the last 17 months?” the team asked.
Dugan’s team implied that Krasner had failed Jones’s victim.
Krasner criticized Dugan on Monday, claiming his opponent was making a “misleading effort to undermine a fair election.”
Jones told the outlet Monday that he met Krasner for the first time at the event and had to be introduced to him. He also claimed Dugan lied about not being invited. “I invited Dugan myself down at the Democratic Party last Wednesday,” Jones told the outlet.
The event was to allow the candidates to have their petitions signed and speak to voters, Jones told the outlet. Krasner showed up without any petitions and Dugan failed to appear, according to the former ward leader.
