Luzerne Times

Rep. Alec Ryncavage of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, expressed his disapproval of President Joe Biden's decision to commute the sentences of former Judge Michael Conahan and his co-conspirator Mark Ciavarella. Ryncavage aligned himself with fellow House Republicans in condemning the clemency granted by the president.

Ryncavage stated, "The recent action of the president is utter nonsense and yet another disservice to the children and families that have already suffered." He further added, "Granting clemency is another way of condoning this terrible, unforgivable behavior, and I for one will not be silent and support anything that pays homage to a man who all but turned a blind eye to these heinous actions."

In 2010, Conahan and Ciavarella were convicted for their roles in a scheme that involved sending juveniles to for-profit detention facilities in return for $2.8 million in kickbacks. The case impacted numerous young individuals, many being first-time offenders charged with minor violations such as truancy or jaywalking. Conahan had 20 months left on his sentence at the time of clemency.

Lackawanna County Commissioner Chris Chermak has also taken steps against this decision by writing to Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti. In his letter, he requested that 'President Biden Expressway' be renamed back to Spruce Street. Chermak emphasized, “Mayor Cognetti, members of the Scranton City Council, and PennDOT need to stand with our community and oppose anyone condoning such sickening behaviors that changed the lives of families for good, even if that order came from the president.”

Ryncavage commended Reps. Brenda Pugh and Jamie Walsh for their leadership on this matter and urged bipartisan cooperation among legislators to denounce President Biden's actions. "This should not be a partisan issue," he concluded.