Last Updated on December 19, 2024
After the recent pardon of Judge Michael Conahan, who was involved in the infamous “Kids for Cash” scandal, a lawmaker and local residents are pushing for the removal of President Joe Biden’s name from a nearby expressway and street.
State Representative Brenda Pugh from Luzerne is leading the charge to have President Biden’s name taken down from the signs along the entrance to Scranton. Pugh believes that having Biden’s name displayed there serves as a constant reminder and a painful memory for the people of northeastern Pennsylvania.
The scandal dates back to 2008 when Conahan, along with another judge named Mark Ciavarella, was convicted of receiving kickbacks amounting to millions of dollars. This was in exchange for sending numerous young offenders to for-profit detention centers in which the judges had a financial interest.
Many of these juveniles were unjustly incarcerated for minor offenses and schoolyard antics that previously would have resulted in nothing more than a brief detention or suspension.
The scandal gained national attention and became infamously known as the “Kids for Cash” scandal.
Pugh criticized Biden and his administration for this decision.
“Conahan’s conduct is forever a blight on Pennsylvania and is a slap in the face to the victims and their families who deserve justice to be served for his atrocious crimes. His clemency places complicity and a stamp of approval on his behavior,” Pugh said.
Biden grew up in Scranton, where he was regarded as the city’s beloved son.
After his inauguration, both the Central Scranton Expressway and Spruce Street in Scranton were named to honor him.
Calls to remove President Biden’s name from the signs are not new.
Earlier this year, an online petition was launched, which has since collected over 19,000 signatures advocating for the removal of the President’s name from the highway leading into the Electric City.
Over time, the sign has turned into a source of inspiration for local Facebook groups, creating memes that humorously suggest Biden’s well-known blunders as potential alternatives.
The Juvenile Law Center aims to abolish corrupt judicial systems first filed a petition with the state’s Supreme Court for relief, according to reports.
