[4] After 10 years, she returned to Merck and earned her degree in English and communications as a non-traditional student at Gwynedd Mercy College in 1993.
[4] In the 2002 election, Crahalla challenged incumbent Republican-turned-Democrat John A. Lawless in the newly re-drawn 150th legislative district.
[8] In 2005, James T. Stewart, Crahalla's former chief of staff who was fired and indicted in Montgomery County for stealing $15,000 in campaign money, filed an ethics complaint against his former boss, telling the state State Ethics Commission and Judicial Conduct Board that he was "routinely required to perform political and campaign-related work" in Crahalla's district office.
[9][10] The complaint also alleged that Crahalla's husband, a magistrate judge violated judicial conduct rules by handling her campaign donations.
[11] In January 2006, Crahalla announced her retirement, effective following the 2006 election, stating that her decision was to "spend more time with family" and that it had nothing to do with Stewart's accusations.