{news} RELEASE Pa. Greens seek action against judicial corruption after juvenile detention scandal

[Justine McCabe]

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From: "dcsgpnews4" <dcsgpnews4 at gmail.com>
To: <dcsgpnews2 at yahoo.com>
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 12:24 AM
Subject: RELEASE Pa. Greens seek action against judicial corruption after 
juvenile detention scandal


Distributed by the Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org

GREEN PARTY OF PENNSYLVANIA
http://www.gpofpa.org

Attention: News Editor
For Immediate Release

Contact:
Hillary Kane, 267-971-3559
Tim Reim, 814-838-1193
Carl Romanelli 570-574-0829


Green Party Condemns Judicial Corruption

• Green leaders call into question the privatization of essential
public services creating opportunities for corruption

• Green Party urges local governments to ban private management of
public responsibilities such as juvenile detention


White-hot outrage cannot adequately describe Green reaction to
revelations of children unjustly sent to PA juvenile detention centers
on the orders of corrupt local judges.

Two Pennsylvania judges have pleaded guilty to earning millions by
wrongfully sending teenagers to privately-run youth detention centers.

Prosecutors say Luzerne County Judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael
Conahan took $2.6 million in payoffs to place juvenile offenders in a
situation in which personal greed fed by corporate excess turned
people into profit.

"This calls to the very question of the value of the civil rights of
the individual children wrongfully removed from their homes to appease
the 'predatory capitalism' conducted by Pennsylvania Child Care, LLC"
said Hillary Kane, Chair of the Green Party of Pennsylvania. "When I
think of the long-term impact unwarranted juvenile detention will have
on those children and their families, it really makes me angry."

"The concept of removing the responsibility and oversight of public
governing to private corporations has been one of increasing belief
that market forces, which worship profit over people, could deliver
services more efficiently and at a lower cost to taxpayers," said
Blyden Potts, Secretary of the Green Party of Pennsylvania. "What you
wind up with is this type of abuse that would not occur under a
properly-led public administration that respects its citizens."

The Green Party of Pennsylvania believes local municipal and township
governments have the right and duty to refuse the contracting of some
state activities. We call for local governments to enact ordinance
prohibitions against the private management of public
responsibilities, specifically, juvenile detention centers in their
locale.

Social Justice remains a key pillar of Green political beliefs. This
scandal has shaken Pennsylvanian parents and families to the core. We
grieve for the suffering of the parents and young people wrongful
abused. Greens call for not only full financial and judicial redress
for the innocent people involved, but for a full investigation of the
political environment that allowed for the many years of corruption
and abuse by the two judges, and those private business interests
complicit in this scandal.

Said Carl Romanelli of Luzerne County; "Sadly, Greens have been at
odds with these judges here in Luzerne County for years.  It makes one
wonder where the peer review has been.  Further, the appeals system in
Pennsylvania simply rubber stamps the corrupt decisions of criminal
judges.  We must break the cycle of judges protecting themselves, and
their exclusive club, rather than protecting the rights of
Pennsylvanians.  You need look no deeper than my case with the state
court to see this ugly dynamic at play," said Romanelli referring to
his ongoing ballot access court case.


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