Fogal resigns as Franklin County District Attorney; ADA Kerstetter will finish term

Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify that Fogal submitted his resignation on Oct. 27, and that it was effective Oct. 30. It also now includes quotes from his resignation letter.

Matt Fogal’s tenure as Franklin County district attorney ended earlier than expected this week, as the county’s top prosecutor resigned two months before the end of his third and final term.

First Assistant District Attorney Laura Kerstetter was sworn in Monday to serve out the rest of Fogal’s term, ending Dec. 31. She is the first woman to lead the DA's office, according to a list on the county's website.

Ian Brink, the county’s chief public defender and a former chief deputy district attorney under Fogal, is the only candidate for district attorney who will appear on the ballot in next week’s municipal election. The Republican is expected to take over at the district attorney's office in January.

Fogal declined to comment about why he chose to leave early. However, he shared an email he sent to county officials Oct. 27 to submit his resignation, effective Oct. 30, and in it he gave Kerstetter a glowing review and said she was aware she would be stepping in as district attorney.

"Laura has been on notice for some time regarding her imminent transition to District Attorney, and please be assured that she is fully prepared to execute the required duties in the coming months," he wrote. "Franklin County Government and its represented citizenry should be extraordinarily proud that Laura will become the next District Attorney for many reasons, but uniquely among those reasons are that (1) she began her career as a Victim Advocate, and (2) she will be the first woman to hold office as the District Attorney in Franklin County. Brava."

Fogal announced earlier this year that he would not seek re-election, despite announcing his intention to run a few months earlier.

Easily elected to every term since 2011 as a registered Republican, Fogal left the GOP in late 2020 and registered as an independent. In his statement on not seeking a fourth term, he said he determined he had no real path to victory in very red Franklin County and did not want to waste anyone’s “time, money or spirit.”

Annual overdose report: Drug overdoses killed 32 people in Franklin County in 2022

In publicizing his opposition to President Donald Trump and his support for the Black Lives Matter movement, Fogal turned off some local conservatives. These views led to the Franklin County Republican Committee censuring him.

Fogal was appointed district attorney in late 2009 following the unexpected death of Jack Nelson, then in the middle of his sixth term in office.

Among Fogal's achievements during his 14 years as district attorney, he played a key roles in establishing programs to fight the opioid epidemic and help people struggling with addiction.

In the county's "Good Wolf" drug treatment court, people charged with drug offenses agree to a sentence that includes going to treatment and they make regular appearances before a county judge to discuss their progress. Those who go through all stages of the program ultimately graduate. The first class graduated in 2017.

The Get Back Up program offers multiple ways for people struggling with drug addiction to get support.

Fogal also placed emphasis on prosecuting people involved in providing drugs that led to fatal drug overdoses.

Amber South can be reached at asouth@publicopinionnews.com.

This article originally appeared on Chambersburg Public Opinion: Matt Fogal resigns as Franklin County district attorney