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Several Pennsylvania officials The Scranton area in particular, where President Joe Biden is visiting, is calling on the city to reverse the 2021 renaming of a freeway spur in his honor.
State Rep. Jamie Walsh, R-Dallas, appeared to lead the charge with scathing statements. It highlighted the recent pardons of judges convicted in scandals. “kids-for-cash” in which he receives bribes for sentencing youths to for-profit prison sentences
Wilkes-Barre Common Pleas Judges Michael Conahan and Mark Ciavarella Jr. were convicted in 2008. The former is serving a prison sentence. Followed by house quarantine due to Covid. Until Biden was pardoned.
Walsh said some of the children affected were convicted of minor offenses such as jaywalking. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which has a Democratic majority, has convicted 4,000 juveniles and youths as a result of the scandal.
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The former Central Scranton Expressway – now the President Biden Expressway – splits from I-81 heading towards Binghamton, NY. (Charles Creetz)
“In light of the recent decision by the Biden administration to take on former Judge Conahan’s sentence, I am asking city officials and the Mayor (Paige Gebhardt Cognetti) to remove President Joe Biden’s name from freeway signs leading to the heart of ‘ Electric City’ ‘downtown area’
In 2021, the Mayor and City Council unanimously approved rebranding the 3/4-mile Central Scranton Expressway spur off Interstate 81 and extending via Spruce Road at the time through downtown as “President Biden Expressway” and “Biden Road” respectively.
President Biden Expressway It originally served as a short detour from PA-307 into the city. and continues with the name “Biden Road” heading north on US-11, which in turn meets the terminus of “Route 9” – the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
“The children affected by Conahan’s actions nearly 15 years ago are now adults suffering in their own ‘mental’ prisons because of his actions to fulfill himself,” Walsh said. said in a statement
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Former Luzerne County Judges Michael Conahan and Mark Ciavarella (AP Photo/Citizen’s Voice by Mark Moran)
“Crimes against children are eternal. And there is no escape from the irreparable damage these predators cause by their actions.”
Walsh argued that the issue is nonpartisan but “right versus wrong” and that Biden no longer deserves to be commemorated because of his pardon. “It’s a release of behavior. (Conahan’s),” which is a sign of future corrupt government officials.
State Rep.-elect Brenda Pugh, R-Lucerne, told WBRE Conahan’s conduct was ‘Damage to Pennsylvania’ and Biden’s pardon “There’s nothing artificial about it.”
“[H]element is a failure of justice,” Pugh said, adding that President Biden’s expressway would “It is forever scarred to remind people of what happened here (in NEPA).”
Meanwhile, Lackawanna County Commissioner Chris Chermak took the matter directly to Cognetti, writing a letter to the mayor stating that changing “Biden Avenue to Spruce Road” would help restore confidence in city leadership. and reaffirms our commitment to governance that best reflects the city’s values.
“This (pardon) has brought significant negative attention to Scranton. It tarnishes the reputation of the city. and reflects poorly on Lackawanna County as a whole,” Chermak wrote.
In an interview Friday, Cognetti said Biden’s replacement of Conahan was a “serious mistake” that opened wounds at “Deep and scary” to Scrantonians and NEPA
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Paige Gebhardt Cognetti, Democratic Mayor of Biden and Scranton (Reuters)
She echoed government Josh Shapiro’s statement earlier this week that Conahan’s sentence was too light in the first place.
“(This case) is just something you think the screenwriter couldn’t create. How systematic and deep is the scandal,” Cognetti said.
She said she has contacted the White House with her concerns. And she was saddened to learn that Conahan’s trade was irreversible.
Cognetti noted that she is now mayor in part because of public corruption by other officials as well.
His predecessor, Bill Courtright, resigned in July 2019 amid charges of bribery, corruption and collusion. Courtright’s departure led to two interim mayors before Cognetti was elected in November. That as an independent and in 2021 as a Democrat.
Cognetti added that calls to remove Biden’s name from streets are not new and remain largely based on partisan divisions.
“The president is from here. And few communities can boast of being the birthplace of the President of the United States. We will continue to celebrate and are so proud to have our hometown son of Scranton as President.”
“I think these two issues got mixed up for political reasons. And I want us to treat these things as they are. We need to continue to address corruption in government,” Cognetti added.
“That is separate from the legacy of a president who served 50 years and was Scranton’s most successful son.”
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Biden Street; Formerly known as Spruce Road (Getty)
When asked recently about Biden pardoning Conahan Shapiro said the president has the power. It is “extraordinary and decisive” to do so, but should be used “incredibly carefully”.
“I study every case that comes up on my desk. where there is a pardon, a commutation, or worse, or a reduced sentence, and I take that very seriously,” said Shapiro, who previously served as attorney general.
“I feel strongly that President Biden has been completely wrong and has caused so much pain here in northeastern Pennsylvania. This not only blackened the community because of the scandal. But it also affects families in a profound and profound and grieving way, in different ways,” he said.
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