ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Ryan Crosswell, a former federal prosecutor who resigned in protest over the Trump administration's handling of criminal cases in February, has announced his campaign for the Lehigh Valley's congressional district.
In a campaign video posted Sunday, Crosswell recounted his oath to defend the U.S. Constitution both when he enlisted as a Marine and when he joined the U.S. Department of Justice.
But President Donald Trump poses the greatest threat to Americans' rights and freedoms as he forces career prosecutors to drop criminal charges against his allies and pursue charges against his opponents, Crosswell said.
"It's time to stand up and defend our country again," Crosswell said.
Crosswell will be the third Democrat to enter the race for Pennsylvania's hyper-competitive 7th Congressional District, joining Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure and first-time candidate Carol Obando-Derstine.
"It's time to stand up and defend our country again."Ryan Crosswell, a congressional candidate and former federal prosecutor
The winner of the 2026 Democratic primary is expected to take on U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, a longtime state lawmaker who prevailed in last year's congressional race. In the video, Crosswell mentions Mackenzie in passing, accusing him of colluding with billionaires to rig the economy.
Resigned from Justice Department
Crosswell made national headlines earlier this year when he resigned from the Justice Department's Public Integrity Section. Federal prosecutors under the Biden administration indicted New York City Mayor Eric Adams last year on allegations he accepted bribes from Turkey.
But officials under the Trump administration ordered prosecutors to dismiss the case after Adams agreed to use his office to assist ICE personnel in deporting people illegally in the country. The federal judge presiding over the case said it was stunning to see prosecutors drop corruption charges for blatantly political reasons but found he could not compel the federal government to continue the case.
Crosswell had no role in the case, but his section was decimated after multiple attorneys resigned in protest rather than dismiss charges for political reasons. He later testified before members of Congress in a bid to raise the alarm over the weaponization of the Justice Department.
"This action raised an even more chilling question — is the Justice Department, that will drop charges against those who acquiesce to a political demand, a Justice Department that will bring charges against those who don't?" he said in April.
Crosswell, a Pottsville native, said in an interview Monday morning that he and his family opted to return to Pennsylvania following his resignation. Between his military service and being assigned to federal districts in Baton Rogue, San Diego and Washington, it's his first time living back in the state in 20 years. He said he remembered Allentown fondly from his trips here as a high school athlete.
"People have welcomed me with open arms. It's great to be here. It's a wonderful place to live," he said.
"Everything about this area is great except it's congressman," he added.
While Crosswell has few ties to the district, he'll enter the race with backing from VoteVets, a progressive national political action committee that seeks to elevate veterans into elected office. Matt Corridoni, vice president of communications for VoteVets, said Monday the group has not yet endorsed Crosswell or any candidate in the race.
Crosswell has moved into some of the most contested political real estate in the country.
Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District — which represents Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties plus a sliver of Monroe County — is almost evenly split between registered Democrats and Republicans.
As one of the few real battlegrounds in American politics, the national parties and their allies have poured enormous resources into the district in recent years in their bids to control legislative policy. The 2024 race totaled more than $38 million in political spending, making it one of the most expensive House races in the nation.
Rumors for weeks
Crosswell's interest in PA-7 has been a poorly kept secret in political circles.
McClure allies such as Northampton County Commissioner Kelly Keegan and Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr. have been posting criticisms of Crosswell on social media for a week, citing his past registration as a Republican and his lack of history in the district. Public documents show he was living in Washington D.C. in December when he switched his party affiliation from Republican to Democratic.
“Ryan Crosswell is a lifelong Republican who has never lived in the Lehigh Valley. Even worse, Crosswell spent four years working for the Trump Department of Justice as they attacked civil rights, voting rights, and women’s rights — and only resigned to run for Congress,” McClure said in a prepared statement. “Ryan Crosswell isn’t running for Congress to help Pennsylvania families. He’s running to help himself.”
The Mackenzie campaign reached a similar conclusion.
"Ryan Crosswell is so unprincipled that he switched parties and became a carpetbagger just so he could run for Congress in a community where he has never lived," said Arnaud Armstrong, a spokesman for the Mackenzie campaign.
Similarly, Obando-Derstine's campaign emphasized her deep roots in the community, noting her 20 years as a Lehigh Valley resident and past work as an aide to former U.S. Sen. Bob Casey.
"Voters don’t want a D.C.-backed Republican parachuting into this district. They want someone who understands their struggles and has deep roots in this community. That’s Carol,” said Robert Phillips, her campaign manager.
Crosswell defended himself, saying he spent 20 years of his life working to protect the country. It's that work that took him away from Pennsylvania, first as a Marine and later as an attorney prosecuting sex predators and drug traffickers. He viewed his campaign as the latest iteration of that lifelong mission.
"Like many Pennsylvanians, I did leave to serve my country. I'm proud of that, and I'll never apologize for it," he said.
As for his party registration, Crosswell said he is a proud Democrat. He voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016, Joe Biden in 2020 and Kamala Harris in 2024, he said, and supports the party's work to protect the working class, Medicaid and the rule of law.
"I've never been a particularly partisan person, but at one point I believed the Republican Party was for fiscal responsibility and national security. I don't believe that at all any more," he said.
