A warrant for the arrest of a Pennsylvania state representative was issued Tuesday in a move that could have implications for control of the state House.
Democratic Rep. Kevin J. Boyle was already facing what KYW-TV called “a stiff challenge” in Pennsylvania’s primary, which will be held Tuesday.
Republicans have been hoping to flip the seat Boyle currently holds in the House, which is currently controlled by Democrats, but just barely — 102-to-100.
Police told KYW that the warrant was issued after Boyle allegedly violated a protection from abuse order by texting his wife.
It wasn’t the first time he’d been accused of violating that protective order.
“Boyle was arrested and charged in 2021 for harassment and violating a protection order filed by his estranged wife,” the outlet reported Thursday.
“At the time, his attorney called it a domestic issue,” the report added.
The outlet noted that Boyle had not yet turned himself in to police as of Wednesday, and as of Saturday afternoon that appeared to still be the case.
Meanwhile, Democrats in the Pennsylvania House, led by Majority Leader Matt Bradford, offered a new proposal that would allow sanctions or even expulsion from the House in the event a state representative is found to be “incapacitated,” The Associated Press reported Thursday.
Should Boyle retire his seat and seek treatment?
Yes: 100% (132 Votes)
No: 0% (0 Votes)
Boyle reportedly participated in a vote remotely this week, even as police sought to take him into custody, leading to what the AP referred to as “intense criticism” of the current House procedure.
The new process would “establish a new group consisting of five House leaders to determine if a representative is impaired physically or mentally so that they are not able to perform their duties,” the outlet reported.
Boyle’s brother, U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, told WPVI-TV in a statement that his brother suffered from “a serious mental health condition” that had first showed itself in 2021 but appeared to have been successfully treated at that time.
His symptoms, began returning several months ago, the outlet said.
“Boyle lost his committee chairmanship and Capitol access privileges in February after a videotaped episode at a Montgomery County bar where he was aggressively rude to the staff and appeared intoxicated,” according to the AP.
That video appears below, as posted to X by PhillyCrimeUpdate, which said that Boyle had to be removed from the establishment by law enforcement.
There does not appear to be any record of criminal charges having been filed against Boyle as a result of that incident.
BREAKING NEWS:
Democratic PA State House Rep Kevin Boyle is seen on video in DRUNK TIRADE at a bar and threatens to use his political power to SHUT DOWN THE LOCAL BUSINESS
Kevin also goes on to accuse the bartenders of being military agents
This allegedly occurred EARLIER… pic.twitter.com/1eGiNUwBx9
— PhillyCrimeUpdate (@PhillyCrimeUpd) February 9, 2024
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or suicidal crisis, call or text the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988. For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness HelpLine is available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-6264, or email [email protected].
