The District Attorney made the announcement on Friday.
On Friday, Schuylkill County District Attorney Michael A. O’Pake announced that he is changing his political party affiliation from Democrat to Republican.
O’Pake issued a press release, saying, “Over the last two election cycles, Democrats, both nationally and even in parts of Pennsylvania, have insisted on defunding the police and decriminalizing drug crimes and quality of life violations. Instead of focusing on working people, law and order, child safety, drug-free schools, and safe neighborhoods, the new version of the Democratic Party has embraced issues that do not impact most Schuylkill County residents, such as open borders, sweeping gun control, increased taxes and other similar issues.”
He explained his decision to switch parties, stating, “Accordingly, I can no longer sit back and be affiliated with a national party which no longer supports the values which I believe in personally and professionally. I believe in backing and supporting Law Enforcement, instead of defunding it; I believe in freedom of choice when it comes to vaccines, instead of mandating vaccines; I believe in economic development and infrastructure improvements, instead of far-reaching public welfare for noncitizens; I believe in personal responsibility and the Rule of Law, instead of defunding and decriminalizing.”
O’Pake said his decision followed over a year of reflection and the counsel of close relatives and friends. He said this change will not affect the office he currently heads. “Since first taking office as Schuylkill County’s District Attorney, I have run the office in a bipartisan manner by hiring Republicans and Democrats as prosecutors and staff members. My decisions on which cases to prosecute have never been based on politics,” O’Pake said.
On his office’s future operations, O’Pake said, “My focus will continue to be on safe neighborhoods, drug-free schools, law and order, and a continued focus on the fight against drugs and violent crime.”
Todd Zimmerman, Chairman of the Schuylkill County Democratic Committee, reacted to O’Pake’s party switch. “The Schuylkill County Democratic Committee is very disappointed, but not surprised that DA Mike O’Pake has changed parties. The Republican Chamber of Commerce’s wealthy donating circle tried to seduce O’Pake to change parties four years ago. O’Pake assured the committee that he was a committed Democrat and eventually ran unopposed,” he said in a statement.
Zimmerman’s statement concluded saying, “And after what he said about Democrats, he is unlikely to get much, if any, support from us.”