Cash For Kids Judge Pardoned (The Kickback Club)

Cash For Kids Judge Pardoned (The Kickback Club)

Biden’s commutation for Judge in ‘kids for cash’ scandal should anger the entire universe.

Biden’s commutation in ‘kids for cash’ scandal.

BY MICHAEL RUBINKAM
Updated 5:32 PM EST, December 13, 2024

A judge implicated in one of the most notorious judicial scandals in U.S. history—where children were funneled into for-profit jails for financial gain—was included among the 1,500 individuals whose sentences were commuted by President Joe Biden this week.

Biden’s decision to commute Michael Conahan’s 17-year prison sentence has sparked anger among many in northeastern Pennsylvania, including the governor and families of the victims of the disgraced former judge, especially since Conahan had already served the majority of his sentence, which was imposed in 2011.

“I do feel strongly that President Biden got it absolutely wrong and created a lot of pain here in northeastern Pennsylvania,” Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said during an unrelated news conference in Scranton on Friday.

The scandal “affected families in really deep and profound and sad ways,” he added. Conahan “deserves to be behind bars, not walking as a free man.”

Read more here at the AP

Wikipedia – Kids for cash scandal

The kids for cash scandal centered on judicial kickbacks to two judges at the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, US.[1] In 2008, judges Michael Conahan and Mark Ciavarella were convicted of accepting money in return for imposing harsh adjudications on juveniles to increase occupancy at a private prison operated by PA Child Care.

Read more here at Wikipedia – Kids For Cash Scandal

Kids for Cash

Kids for Cash is a riveting look behind the notorious scandal that rocked the nation when it first came to light in 2009. Beginning in the wake of the shootings at Columbine, a small town in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania elected a charismatic judge who was hell-bent on keeping kids in line. Under his reign, over 3,000 children were ripped from their families and imprisoned for years for crimes as petty as creating a fake MySpace page.

– AUGUST 18, 20227:48 AM ET-

Former judges who sent kids to jail for kickbacks must pay more than $200 million

Two former judges in Pennsylvania were implicated in a scandal that involved sending children to for-profit detention facilities in exchange for kickbacks, resulting in a court order for them to pay over 200 million dollars to the countless victims of their actions in what is considered one of the most egregious judicial scandals in the history of the United States..

U.S. District Judge Christopher Conner has ruled in favor of nearly 300 individuals in a protracted civil lawsuit against the judges, awarding them a staggering total of 206 million dollars in damages and stating that these plaintiffs represent the tragic human casualties of an unprecedented scandal.

Read More at NPR News

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Bidens Pardons and Commutations

So far…

Today, Dec 12, 2024 – President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. is granting clemency consisting of 39 pardons and 1,499 commutations.

Clemency Recipient List

Pardons Granted by President Joseph Biden (2021-Present)

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Criminal Law FAQs – Theft Crimes

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Criminal Law FAQs – Domestic Violence

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What is corruption? U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments

What is corruption? U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments

What is corruption? U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments that could impact bribery cases in Illinois

The high court is reviewing a law that’s popular among federal prosecutors — including those pursuing former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan.

A cash-strapped mayor in northwest Indiana goes to a trucking company after engineering city contracts in its favor, and he tells its owners he needs money.

They pay him $13,000 for consulting. But there’s no evidence he did any work.

The feds call that corruption. But next week, the U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether the mayor even committed a crime under a law that’s popular among federal prosecutors — including those pursuing former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan.

Read more here at the Chicago Sun Times

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Question: There is so much corruption in my case I need a lawyer!

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MSP Flint post commander rigging promotion exams says lawsuit

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The former commander of the Michigan State Police post in Flint is alleged to have been providing answers to promotion exam questions to favored officers, while also engaging in retaliatory actions against others, as stated in a federal lawsuit.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Flint, sheds additional light on an ongoing MSP internal affairs investigation that originated at the Flint post. This investigation has resulted in several personnel actions, including firings, forced retirements, a demotion, and a resignation. Furthermore, it has had an impact on the MSP post in West Branch, located in Ogemaw County.

First Lt. Yvonne Brantley, who was the post commander in Flint, retired in lieu of being fired. Sgt. Jared Chiros, who worked at the Flint post, had resigned.

Brantley is the sole defendant named in the lawsuit filed by Trooper Evan Neilson, although Chiros also holds a substantial involvement in the legal proceedings.

The internal affairs investigation determined that Brantley would favor or target certain individuals for promotion or non-promotion and for those who she wanted promoted, she would feed them answers to test questions and provide the test questions to prepare for taking the examination the lawsuit alleges.

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Question: I need to sue the police for civil rights violations. Do you do that?

Answer: We are sorry. We are a legal defense firm and will fight for your rights and freedom in the “justice system” but we do not do lawsuits at this time. Maybe in the near future.

 

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Why this was not a thing and passed decades ago would be a good question.

The Senate oversight committee will review a bill that aims to extend Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act to cover lawmakers and the governor’s office.

Senate Bills 669 and 670 aim to expand Michigan’s current FOIA laws by including the Legislature and the governor’s office. These proposed changes would grant individuals the opportunity to request records and other pertinent information from government organizations, enabling them to gain crucial insights into their operations.

The bill carried over to 2024.

Senate Bill 670 seeks to expand the reach of FOIA law, making it applicable not only to lawmakers and the governor’s office but also mandating House and Senate leaders to appoint a dedicated FOIA coordinator for each chamber.

This proposed legislation aims to enhance transparency and accountability within our government by ensuring that key figures and decision-makers are subject to the same level of scrutiny and public access.

Senate Bill 670 is closely linked to Senate Bill 669, which serves to refine the law by incorporating essential cybersecurity safeguards. Additionally, it extends exemptions from FOIA regulations to encompass personal notes taken by board members during public meetings.

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Attorney Michael Komorn

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State / Federal Legal Defense

With extensive experience in criminal legal defense since 1993 from pre-arrest, District, Circuit, Appeals, Supreme and the Federal court systems.

KOMORN LAW (248) 357-2550

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