Several Pennsylvania officials, particularly in the Scranton area, where President Joe Biden is from, have called on the city to reverse the renaming of a highway spur that was renamed in 2021 in honor of President Biden. are.
State Rep. Jamie Walsh (R-Dallas) said Biden recently pardoned a judge convicted in the “kids for cash” scandal who received kickbacks for sentencing juveniles to commercial prisons. He appears to have taken the lead with his scathing remarks emphasizing the
Wilkes-Barre Common Counsel Judges Michael Conahan and Mark Ciavarella Jr. were convicted in 2008. The former served time in prison and then under house arrest due to COVID-19 until Biden’s pardon.
Mr Walsh said some of the children affected had been convicted of misdemeanors such as pedestrian crossing. The Democratic-controlled Pennsylvania Supreme Court threw out the convictions of 4,000 boys as a result of the scandal.
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The former Central Scranton Expressway – now the Presidential Biden Expressway – branches off from Interstate 81 towards Binghamton, New York (Charles Crates)
“We appeal to city officials and the mayor in light of the Biden administration’s recent decision to commute former Judge Conahan’s sentence.” [Paige Gebhardt Cognetti] The plan is to remove President Joe Biden’s name from highway signs leading into the Electric City’s downtown core. ”
In 2021, the Mayor and City Council unanimously rebranded the 3/4-mile Central Scranton Expressway that branches off from Interstate 81 and passes through downtown via what was then Spruce Street. Approved the renaming of the “President Biden Expressway” and “Biden Avenue,” respectively. .
The Presidential Biden Expressway initially served as a short bypass into the city from PA-307, continuing toward northbound US-11 as “Biden Avenue” and then joining the terminus of the colloquial “Route 9.” Masu. Northeast extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
“The children affected by Conahan’s actions nearly 15 years ago are now adults languishing in a ‘mental’ prison due to his self-fulfilling acts,” Walsh said in a statement. said.
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former Luzerne County Judges Michael Conahan and Mark Ciavarella; (AP Photo/Citizen Voice, Mark Moran)
“Crimes against children last forever, and there is no escaping the irreparable harm these predators have caused with their actions.”
Walsh said the issue was a nonpartisan “right or wrong” issue and argued that Biden’s pardon “is no longer worthy of a monument because it exonerates people.” [Conahan’s] As a signal to future corrupt officials.
State Rep. Brenda Pugh (R-Luzerne) told WBRE that Conahan’s actions were “a disaster for Pennsylvania” and that Biden’s pardon was “nothing short of a travesty.”
”[H]”A pardon is a miscarriage of justice,” Pew said, adding that President Biden’s highway will therefore “be a permanent scar to remind people of what happened here.” [in NEPA]. ”
Meanwhile, Lackawanna County Commissioner Chris Charmack made the case directly to Cognetti, saying, “Returning Biden Street to Spruce Street restores confidence in city leadership and ensures that governance best reflects the city’s values.” “This will serve to reaffirm our determination to do so,” he wrote to the mayor.
“this [pardon] “It has brought significant negative attention to Scranton, tarnished the city’s reputation, and tarnished the reputation of Lackawanna County as a whole,” Charmack wrote.
In an interview Friday, Mr. Cognetti said Mr. Biden’s demotion of Mr. Conahan was a “grave mistake” that reopened “deep and terrible” wounds for Scranton residents and NEPA residents.
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Biden and Democratic Scranton Mayor Paige Gebhard Cognetti (Reuters)
She echoed Gov. Josh Shapiro’s comments earlier this week that Conahan’s sentence was too lenient in the first place.
”[The case] “It was something that I don’t think the screenwriters were able to create — how systemic and how deep-rooted that scandal was,” Cognetti said.
She said she contacted the White House with her concerns and was saddened to learn that Mr. Conahan’s sentence commutation was irreversible.
Cognetti pointed out that her current status as mayor is partly due to public corruption among other officials.
His predecessor, Bill Cortright, resigned in July 2019 after being found guilty of bribery, corruption and conspiracy charges. Cortright’s resignation created two short-term interim mayors until Cognetti was elected as an independent in November of that year and as a Democrat in 2021.
Cognetti added that calls to strip Biden’s name from roads are not new and remain largely partisan.
“The President is from here, and few communities can boast that the President of the United States is from here. We continue to celebrate and are extremely proud of Scranton’s hometown son becoming President. ”
Cognetti added: “I think these two issues are being conflated for political reasons, and I want them to be treated as they are. We need to continue to address corruption in government.”
“That’s separate from his 50 years in office and the accomplishments of the most successful president ever to be the son of Scranton.”
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Biden street. Formerly Spruce Street (Getty)
When asked recently about Biden pardoning Conahan, Shapiro said the president had the “sole and absolute” authority to do so, but he did so with “incredible caution.” He said that it should be exercised.
“I’m looking at every case that comes up that seeks a pardon, pardon, or worse, commutation of sentence. And I take that very seriously,” said Shapiro, who previously served as attorney general. Ta.
“I feel strongly that President Biden’s decision was completely wrong and has caused tremendous pain here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Not only has this scandal been stigmatized by the community, but it has also affected families. “It had a really deep, serious and sad impact on me in a really deep, profound and sad way,” he said.
Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.
He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.
Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.
Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduate of Temple University with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism. Story tips can be sent to charles.creitz@fox.com.
