Ciavarella Is Convicted, But The" Kids For Cash Scandal" Does NOT Come To An End

Progressives aren't perfect, but this situation sounded like something the oh-so-righteous side would do: sending kids to detention centers for profit. But I delved into the situation of former juvenile court judge Mark Ciavarella, who was convicted today of racketeering and extortion charges and received a shock when I read TWO searing accounts:

SCRANTON, Pa. — A former juvenile court judge was convicted yesterday of racketeering in a case that accused him of sending youth offenders to for-profit detention centers in exchange for millions of dollars in illicit payments from the builder and owner of the lockups.

And this:

Maybe the Luzerne County Democratic Committee can explain these donations from former Judge Mark Ciavarella to their party during his retention campaign. Sitting judges should not be making political donations according to the judicial cannons.

LUZERNE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE 10/31/2005 $500.00
LUZERNE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE 4/19/2005 $6,000.00
LUZERNE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE 9/30/2005 $6,000.00

And some of the donations were under the auspice of HIS OWN "retention committee"! 

Now back to the real cause celebre:

Ciavarella insists that he is innocent of the "kids for cash" scheme, but has pleaded guilty to charges of racketeering. Over $2 million in bribes and extortion were culled by the former judge who sentenced kids to the juvenile detention centers built by his cronies. 

Amidst all of the pleas of innocence in the "kids for cash" scheme, Ciavarella only admitted that he "neglected to report the payments on his tax returns and hid them from the public, but he denied any plot to take kickbacks or extort money." And while the trial wa strictly to concern itself solely with the aspect of bribes and extortion, the prosecutor did state that the kids were "pawns in a scheme to enrich himself."

Over 4000 convictions of young adults were dismissed when the state's Supreme Court ruled that Ciavarella had "complete disregard" of their constitutional rights. 

You can listen to some of the testimonies of the young victims HERE.

The irony that the verdict was mixed and at Ciavarello was not immediately incarcerated and let go on his own recognisance was not lost on Sandy Fonzo, the mother of one of Ciavarello's victims:

"My kid's not here anymore!" yelled Sandy Fonzo, whose son committed suicide last year at age 23. "He's dead! Because of him! He ruined my ... life! I'd like him to go to hell and rot there forever!" Ciavarella glanced at Fonzo, then turned his back.

Fonzo's son, Edward Kenzakowski, was a 17-year-old all-star wrestler with no prior record when he landed in Ciavarella's courtroom for possession of drug paraphernalia. She said her son never recovered from the months he served at the detention centers and a wilderness camp.

The court also noted the amount of donations Ciavarella gave to the Democratic National Committe - presumably helping him to keep his elected position on the bench. Sentencing will be next month, and although Ciavarella could receive a sentence amounting to the rest of his life, sources say that he will receive the minimum: 12 1/2 years. 

Ms. Fonzo would obviously like it to be a lot longer.

Two years ago, one comment about Ciavarello's donations to the Democratic Committee:

So there are corrupt Democrats? I suppose that means that the financial debacle the Republicans just brought us to means nothing, because there are are dishonest and greedy Democrats as well. That is a classic Republican response. Face it, Republicans have brought us to financial ruin, NOT Democrats.

I give up.

Laughing at Equality: Murdered David Kato Openly Mocked At U.N. By Authors of "Kill The Gays" Bill

Thanks to Joe.My.God: 

According to U.S. embassy cables released by Wikileaks, Ugandan panelists at a 2009 United Nations seminar on human rights openly mocked activist David Kato as he attempted to deliver his speech denouncing his country's still-pending "kill the gays" bill. Attending the meeting were the bill's author, Ugandan MP David Behati, and Pastor Martin "Eat Da Poo Poo" Ssempa.

This is typical of moralizing morons: openly mock the ones you are targeting for elimination. Behati has said that if  he ever thought his own son might be gay, he'd kill him. And "Eat Da Poo Poo Ssempa was close friends with Rick "Whatever it takes" Warren.

Throw REAL Sodom and Gomorrah Brimstone at Queers!!

  It's pricey, but it's worth it!!

Yes, they're selling this kind of stuff now. Somehow I don't think it will be displayed in the LGBT History Museum. 

BE PREPARED! And BEWARE! Of Those Family Values Scout Masters!!

Turning a hallowed institution into a 
Gordian Knot!

It's time to get real: one of the most time-honored institutions in our country, (in the world, in fact) has had a history of child sexual abuse: the Good 'ole Boy Scouts of America. The extent of it has parents worried: do they need to prepare the kids with condoms? Or do they need to prepare the scout masters for some serious investigations?

From Conservative Babylon:

The gigantic scumbag — and we do mean gigantic, at a reported six-foot-four and 400 pounds — is Kenneth D. Tomlinson II, former police chief of Fredericktown, Missouri, firefighter, and Boy Scout leader.Said scumbag, we are very happy and relieved to report, just received life in prison — actually, “three consecutive life terms plus plus 22 years” — for sexually abusing two boys, ages 11 and 13, who were members of Tomlinson’s Scout troop.

First, it was priests. Then it was youth pastors. Now it's boyscout leaders.

Well, sort of.

It's actually a kind of when-it-rains-it-pours situation: Our great friends at Conservative Babylon have been compiling/monitoring the antics of scout leaders (as well as former scout leaders) and the results during the last two weeks have really thrown us for a loop (or a knot, whatever).

wikipedia:

There have been more than 2,000 US cases of abuse within the Boy Scouts of America prior to 1994 by Scout leaders, yet abuse is still occurring ...

That wiki entry is old and has not been updated since 2009. So to accentuate the problem, I've chosen seven of the most recent and salacious stories about scout leaders/oh-so-family-values men for the reader to ruminate about:

Feb. 3, 2011: Arrested: Steve Wise, Orange County, FLA
A former TV production teacher at the local high school, Wise was charged with 10 counts of possession of child porn. Thousands of pictures of young boys were discovered on his home computer.

UPDATE: Wise has just been hit with 1,557 counts of possession of child pornography - enough to send him away for a very long time!

Jan. 6, 2011: New charges: Michael J. “Mike” Cimmino, Braintree, MA.

Besides being a Cub Scout Leader, Cimmino was a religion teacher for the First Congregational Church. He was originally charged with kidnapping and assault with intent to rape a child and eight counts of indecent assault and battery, all of which he pleaded not guilty. However, new charges arose from an alleged second victim. The case is still ongoing.

Nov. 9, 2010: Arrested: Peter Stibal, Burnsville, MN
Stibal, a scout leader, was accused of molesting two boys during the span of years 2002 to 2008. Parents were concerned and shocked because he was also involved with children in the church and a school bus driver!

February, 2010: Charged: Scott Thomas Hartman, Dallas, TX

Hartman was a Boy Scout and Cub Scout leader when he was charge with aggravated sexual assault on both a 10-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl. When the boy told his mother about the assault, his mother refused to believe him, hence when his school reported his bruises, child protective services removed him from his home and placed him an his siblings in foster care! The boy finally was able to set the record straight with the principal of the school.

Jan. 27, 2001: sentenced: William Arther Hoefling, Plymouth, MI.
Hoefling was a scout master at the Catholic church, Our Lady of Good Counsel when he was convicted 50. Hoefling is now serving his 3 to 20 for repeatedly molesting two 16-year-old boys in his troop

January, 2009: arrested: Jeffrey Claude Bartleson
NOTE: As of this writing, nothing has been written about this case since January of 2009. This may be explained because of the position of Bartleson and his relation to Sen. John McCain.

Conservative Babylon:

Claims to fame: Republican political consultant; Pueblo, Colorado, presidential campaign manager for fellow Conservative Babylonian Sen. John McCain (2008); youth counselor, King of Kings Lutheran Church; Boy Scout leader; sponsor, Parkview Medical Center Chemical Dependency Unit; multiple-child molestation suspect

Since his arrest in January, 2009, more accusers have come forth, the most interesting being that he molested a 5-year-old boy while babysitting him so that his mother could attend a Palin rally!*

Another example of bad (or lack of) vetting in the McCain campaign: Bartleson had been investigated 5 times since 1982 for similar charges (although not convicted).

And last but not least: Dennis L. Radar - also known as the BTK Killer - was a cub scout leader.

And lest you think otherwise, all of the above identified as heterosexual. 

The Boy Scouts. Who knew?

*Being a good scout leader, however, he warned one boy to be prepared: if the boy talked about the incident, he would kill him.

Christian Right Compassion: "Fund Your Own Damned Disease!"

The REAL The Battle for Life Begins

Florida Independent

President Barack Obama’s budget proposal calls for an additional $80 million in funding for AIDS Drug Assistance Programs —enough to “support access to life saving HIV-related medications for approximately 13,000 additional people living with HIV/AIDS,” according to the administration.

Most people who identify as "pro-life" are, as a theologian put it, actually "pro-birth:" in other words, "we want your baby to be born, but after that, you and the kid are on your own ... and don't come to us for any handouts!"

So the "pro-birthers" have been given a war to wage: Obama's proposed budget. It just doesn't cut enough "life" out!

The anticipated fight over AIDS funding (specifically research and prevention) can really be looked upon as a grudge match of sorts: the ruling elite of the Christian Right wants to get back at advances in gay rights and the repeal of DADT.

And to them, any show of support for AIDS funding is, well, an abomination:

In a blog post published on World AIDS Day, Bryan Fischer, director of issue analysis at the AFA, wrote that “we know what causes AIDS: homosexual sex and injection drug use,” and goes on to suggest that taxpayers should stop funding AIDS research.
“Homosexual activist groups likewise are pushing a lifestyle that kills. If anybody should be obligated to pony up funds to mitigate a health crisis, it ought to be the organizations that are responsible for advocating the very behavior that created and perpetuates the epidemic.”

So now let's look at the arrows of outrageous fortune that are going to wound the Christian Right:

1. Fund Cross-Cutting Innovative Efforts for Care and Prevention. The reaction: To groups like the American Family Association, this aspect of AIDS funding intending to look like an effort at being as efficient as as possible. Trust them to say that this one's a ruse just to get more money.


2. Increase HIV/AIDS Research.  The reaction: shades of Jesse Helms. Enough said.


3. Support the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) and Expand Investments in Prevention, Care, and Research. The reaction: Since the Strategy emphasizes concentrating prevention efforts in "high-burden areas" (inner cities), there will be a "welfare/on-the-dole" judgment against such funding. Unfortunately, the increased funding also includes Veteran's HIV/AIDS benefit funding, so they'll be hard-pressed to squawk too loudly.

4. Expand the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. The Budget includes an increase of $88 million for care and treatment through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program.

The reaction: "You got yourself into this mess. Get over it." Since much of Ryan White funds go to people already living with HIV/AIDS, this may be the one point that will undoubtedly become the mantra of Bryan Fischer who, as we have seen, thinks only certain communities should pay for funding. This is, of course, Fischer's brand of "compassion."

5. Increase Funding for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Service Integration. The reaction: "Big government telling us all what to do." This part of the budget will concentrate on the Center for Disease Control (CDC) which the Right,  in all its wisdom, thinks is way too powerful. After all, prayers are cheaper.

6. Support Housing Assistance for People Living with HIV/AIDS.The reaction: "ABSOLUTELY NO WAY!" "Citizens of the United States should not be helping to house Biblical 'Obama-nations!'" (thinking themselves very, very witty). 

7. Fight the Stigma of HIV/AIDS. The reactions: "special rights, again!" "stigma, what stigma?" and "they stigmatized themselves!"

8. Increase Support for Global AIDS Programs. (e.g. PEPFAR). The reaction: "Abstinence only! No Condoms or No Funding!"

Revenge: it hurts both parties in the long run. 

Alright. I realize that I've come across as a bit pre-judgmental. After all, nobody's callous enough or righteously arrogant enough to react to funding a health initiative or an epidemic such as AIDS, are they? 

"More Gruel, Sir?" Missouri says "Get Back To Work!"

SB 222 – This act modifies the child labor laws. It eliminates the prohibition on employment of children under age fourteen. Restrictions on the number of hours and restrictions on when a child may work during the day are also removed. It also repeals the requirement that a child ages fourteen or fifteen obtain a work certificate or work permit in order to be employed. Children under sixteen will also be allowed to work in any capacity in a motel, resort or hotel where sleeping accommodations are furnished. It also removes the authority of the director of the Division of Labor Standards to inspect employers who employ children and to require them to keep certain records for children they employ. It also repeals the presumption that the presence of a child in a workplace is evidence of employment.

Hey kids! Don't let your folks EVER take you to Kansas City! You might wind up in a workhouse courtesy of the State of Missouri!

Seriously, the most ridiculous piece of work (plus her proposed legislation) has taken the State of Missouri by storm. She is State Senator Jane Cunningham. Giving the bizarre reason of "nanny state," she has proposed abolishing most of the state's child labor laws.

You read that right.

Read that statement again. If you still don't think it's right, just read HERE and HERE.

Her reasons?

The current restrictions, Cunningham says, imply “that government can make a better decision than a parent.” Also, Cunningham, who is no fan of public schools, dislikes the provision in state law that says students younger than 16 must obtain signed permission from their school before taking a job.

Naturally, Cunningham is an ardent advocate of home-schooling. 

And parents whose poverty may push them to send their kids into virtual slavery or simply rotten parents (there are some) will love her. 

We'll try to keep up with this bizarre piece of legislation. Until then, pass the gruel.

Still Valentine's Day In Our Hearts

Today is the day after Valentine's Day, but I wanted to relate the wonderful words of Bishop Christopher Senyonjo in his letter to Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury. If you read our last post, you'll know that Bishop Senyonjo is now considered a "marked man" in Uganda for being a staunch ally and friend to Uganda's gay community. His letter of compassion and concern is probably the best Valentine I've read in years.

LETTER FROM BISHOP CHRISTOPHER SENYONJO TO ARCHBISHOP ROWAN WILLIAMS

The following is the full text of the letter from Bishop Senyonjo to Archbishop Rowan Williams and the Anglican Communion.

Dear Archbishop Rowan Williams, Primates and fellow bishops, clergy and people of our diverse Anglican Communion.

Peace from God: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. I give thanks on behalf of the family and friends of David Kato for your love and prayers at this difficult time. All over the world, human beings are longing for liberation, love, respect and the dignity to have meaningful lives. This week alone, we witnessed it in Egypt .We also see this longing in the struggle for human rights for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people (LGBT) through the sacrificial life and death of David Kato. As human beings, we must respect our differences and be united in our call for listening and sharing with each other. To understand God, we are all called to understand the mystery of each other, including our sexualities. God has given us this gift and to defame, condemn, imprison and kill human beings because of their God-given nature, is a great human error. The church has a tragic history of condemning Jews, Moslems, scientists and LGBT people. Our teaching and theology has a causal effect and if we do not learn from our own historical mistakes, we will repeat the same sinful destruction of lives, families and communities.

When European churches failed to protect minority communities during World War II, people were sent to the gas chambers and concentration camps. Many religious people in Europe emerged from that experience to help create the Declaration of Human Rights. We now have sixty years of building an internationally recognised framework for the protection of human rights in every country. If Anglicans in one country dehumanize, persecute and imprison minorities, we must be true to the Gospel and challenge such assaults on basic human rights. They key to our ministry must be to educate our people and encourage LGBT people to tell their stories and the impact of homophobia in their lives. Listening to the stories of LGBT people was the beginning of my own transformation. This work of understanding the phenomenon of human sexuality should be taken seriously in our theological seminaries and schools. The clergy should be well equipped to serve and not to ignorantly repel the people of God. A required course in Human Sexuality should be required of all seminarians and clergy.

Many African countries imprison LGBT people because of who they are. As a bishop in the midst of those countries, I am now a shepherd caring for the lost sheep that are persecuted by the Church and threatened by a pending anti-homosexual draconian bill in Uganda. I preach the new covenant of Jesus Christ sealed in love as we read in John 15:12. This is the heart of the Gospel-the Good News. This sacrifice of Love is mocked when sister churches tolerate or promote the violation of basic human rights. Life and liberty are at risk and we must hold each other accountable. A loving Anglican Communion should not keep quiet when the Rolling Stone tabloid in Uganda openly supports the “hanging of the homos,” including a fellow bishop who pleads for their inclusion and non-discrimination! Silence has the power to kill. We have witnessed its destruction this past week in the tragic and cruel murder of David Kato.

We African Anglicans have a rich and powerful history of speaking out on human rights in the most difficult of situations. Bishop Colenso worked with Zulus to establish an indigenous church while being fought by his fellow English bishops. Bishops Trevor Huddleston, John Taylor and Desmond Tutu resisted Apartheid. We must not demean our great tradition by oppressing LGBT minorities under any circumstances, even to maintain Anglican unanimity. The criminalization of homosexuality remains the greatest state and church sanctioned violence perpetrated against LGBT people and their allies in many countries. We must agree to demolish all forms of institutional homophobia beginning with the removal of all laws that punish human beings for being gay or living in loving relationships. This will be the first step in providing basic human rights to a largely invisible international community who live in daily fear of their lives.

So in thanksgiving for the unity and commitment we have together, let us continue to listen to one another, to protect the vulnerable and marginalized within our own societies and to bring our collective wisdom to the work of repairing the world and correcting the great injustices in our local communities.

+Christopher

Rt. Rev. Christopher Senyonjo