Volokh Conspiracy (a favorite conservative blog of mine) tagged it right: The Most Revolting Corruption Story in a Long Time.
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Two lawsuits have been filed against two Pennsylvania judges accused of taking more than $2 million in kickbacks to send youth offenders to privately run detention centers.
The suits name Luzerne County Judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan as well as the individuals who allegedly paid the kickbacks and other defendants. They were filed in federal court late Thursday and Friday on behalf of hundreds of children and their families who were alleged victims of the corruption.
"At the hands of two grossly corrupt judges and several conspirators, hundreds of Pennsylvania children, their families and loved ones, were victimized and their civil rights violated," plaintiffs' attorney Michael Cefalo said in a statement Friday.
Prosecutors allege Ciavarella and Conahan took $2.6 million in payoffs to put juvenile offenders in lockups run by PA Child Care LLC and a sister company, possibly tainting the convictions of thousands of juvenile offenders.
Judges who traumatize children and delegitimize the courts should get life in prison. I'd have to search for an iota of compassion for them. For me, this sums up the Bush/Rendell era very nicely.
some links: Wall Street Journal lawblog
See you Monday.
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