A petition to impeach Mayor Parker is toothless — but loud

The big picture: The online movement is a symbolic gesture since Parker hasn't crossed any legal or ethical lines that would prompt state lawmakers or Gov. Josh Shapiro to take steps to remove her from office.

• And a grassroots recall effort is impossible. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled the city's recall provision was unconstitutional after activists tried to unseat then-Mayor Frank Rizzo in 1975.

But political commentator Jay McCalla tells Axios that Parker shouldn't shrug off the message being sent by some constituents.

• "It is a sincere expression of outrage," he says. "There's a lot of people who have a bad taste in their mouths."

Driving the news: Philly activist Jon McKay tells Axios that he started an online petition earlier this month calling for Parker's "immediate impeachment and removal."

• It's since garnered more than 1,700 signatures, as of Wednesday, and some pushback on social media.

What they're saying: McKay voted for Parker in 2023 but says he has since soured on her leadership over her handling of the garbage strike and what he describes as a failure to deliver on some campaign promises.

• He says he believes his petition underscores a growing discontent among some of Parker's supporters.

Reality check: Parker's approval rating was at 63% entering her second year in office — one of the highest achieved by an incumbent mayor since 2009, per a recent Pew Charitable Trusts poll.

The other side: In response to questions about the petition, city spokesperson Joe Grace tells Axios that Parker is "proud of having negotiated two fair and fiscally responsible contracts with two of our municipal employee unions."