Biden’s Clemency for Judge in “Kids-for-Cash” Scandal Sparks Backlash

The White House granted clemency to Michael Conahan, the former Pennsylvania judge at the center of the infamous “kids-for-cash” scandal, without considering the specifics of his case, an administration official told POLITICO on Friday. President Joe Biden commuted Conahan’s sentence as part of a mass clemency action covering nearly 1,500 individuals released on home confinement during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Conahan’s inclusion in the clemency list has drawn sharp criticism, including from Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, who said Biden made a grave mistake. “I do feel strongly that President Biden got it absolutely wrong and created a lot of pain here in northeastern Pennsylvania,” Shapiro, a Democrat, said Friday. “Conahan deserves to be behind bars, not walking as a free man.”

Conahan was convicted in 2011 for orchestrating a scheme that sent juveniles to for-profit detention centers in exchange for over $2 million in kickbacks. He pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy charges and was sentenced to more than 17 years in prison. The scandal, described by federal prosecutors as “the worst in Pennsylvania’s history,” led to the state vacating thousands of juvenile convictions.

An administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the White House did not review the details of Conahan’s case or those of others granted clemency. Instead, clemency was extended en masse to individuals meeting a broad set of criteria. According to the official, those granted commutations were already on Covid-related home confinement and met conditions such as nonviolent offenses, no ties to terrorism or sex crimes, low risk of recidivism, and good behavior for at least a year.

The official defended the process as a demonstration of Biden’s commitment to second chances, rather than a statement on the original offenses. However, they emphasized that Conahan had served the majority of his sentence, had been on home confinement, and was likely to be released in August 2026 even without the commutation.

Victims of the “kids-for-cash” scandal have expressed outrage over the decision. Amanda Lorah, one of the juveniles wrongfully imprisoned under Conahan’s scheme, described the clemency as “a big slap in the face for us once again.” Sandy Fonzo, whose son died by suicide after being placed in juvenile detention by Conahan, also condemned the move. In a statement to the *Citizens’ Voice* newspaper in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Fonzo said, “I am shocked and I am hurt. Conahan’s actions destroyed families, including mine, and my son’s death is a tragic reminder of the consequences of his abuse of power.”

The White House has touted the mass clemency as a historic gesture of mercy ahead of the holidays, but Conahan’s inclusion has reignited painful memories of one of the most egregious judicial scandals in U.S. history.