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This article in today’s Gazette.Net – Maryland Community News Online has a rather vanilla title: Widespread Investigation Unfolds in County. It starts with a by now familiar update of the continually expanding federal investigation into public corruption in Prince George’s County, Maryland. It talks about the County Executive Jack Johnson and his County Councilwoman-elect wife Leslie who allegedly accepted bribes from developers to help secure federal HUD money for their projects. It talks about the corrupt police officers being paid to protect black market activities.
But then the article touches on something many people who tolerate, support, and participate in public corruption often overlook: There are consequences beyond disgrace and prison.
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In this case, as in an increasing number of federal criminal investigations, one of the most far-reaching consequences will be asset forfeiture. As noted in the Gazette.Net article:
In relation to the cigarettes and alcohol charges, federal prosecutors have requested the forfeiture of $3.5 million, 25 properties, 13 vehicles and 84 bank accounts that allegedly hold profits from the crimes or were used during the crimes. Of the 25 properties listed, 11 are in Prince George’s County and are liquor stores, restaurants or homes.
Then article then lists some of the properties (assets) for which the Department of Justice is seeking forfeiture. And this is only for the cigarette and alcohol charges.
The public is often unaware of the consequences that corrupt public officials bring down on their communities. I doubt anyone feels too sorry when corrupt public officials are arrested, tried, convicted, and sent to prison. But when those officials are also principals in businesses and owners of homes that are forfeited, the community feels the secondary effects of business failures, job losses, and home foreclosures.
Corruption has consequences.
Consequences…hmm. Yes. Chances of getting caught AND prosecuted…hmm, roughly equal to getting struck by lightning…twice. The thought process goes…”Lets see…I can make $1 million and the chances of getting caught AND prosecuted are equal to the chances of getting struck by lightning…twice? Okay!” Seems like there is more “opportunity” than “consequences” in the public corruption racket.
Comment by Happy Trails — November 18, 2010 @ 7:53 am
Happy Trails,
Certainly so in Idaho, particularly Kootenai County. We have a legislature that just can’t force itself to believe that there might be some Idahoans who are (gasp!) willing to exploit legislated deficiencies in the law for their own personal gain. We have people who want “local control” over their prosecutors; no outside help needed, thank you very much. We have District Court judges who do not care about either the Idaho Constitution or the laws if standing up for either or both might jeopardize their re-electability. In the arena of public corruption we have a US Attorney for the District of Idaho who lists public corruption as her … well she doesn’t even list it as an enforcement priority in her office. She will make the FBI jump through hoops if someone puts a swastika decal on a building in Corrupt d’Alene, but public corruption? Nah, no problem here. Thanks, Wendy Jo — you’ll go far in the “Pot” Holder Department of Justice.
Comment by Bill — November 18, 2010 @ 2:04 pm