Biden Faces Backlash for Commuting Sentence of Judge in 'Kids for Cash' Scandal

President Biden's clemency for Michael Conahan, convicted in a scheme that sent juveniles to for-profit detention centers, has drawn criticism from victims' families and public officials.

• Michael Conahan, a former Pennsylvania judge involved in the 'Kids for Cash' scandal, had his remaining sentence commuted by President Biden last week.
• Conahan was convicted in 2011 for accepting nearly $3 million in kickbacks to send juveniles to for-profit detention facilities, often on minor charges or without proper legal representation.
• The clemency decision, part of a historic commutation of sentences for nearly 1,500 individuals, has been criticized by victims' families, including Sandy Fonzo, whose son died by suicide after being sentenced in the scheme.
• Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, called the decision 'absolutely wrong,' emphasizing the lasting harm the scandal caused to children, families, and the community.
• Conahan had been under home confinement since 2020 due to COVID-19 protocols and had two years remaining on his original 17.5-year sentence.

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