Pennsylvania’s Scranton As dozens of people gathered on Courthouse Square on Saturday morning to support renaming the President Biden Expressway and Biden Street, calls to action reverberated throughout downtown Scranton.
Fitzgerald, the event organizer, stated, “You know, having this many people show up right between Christmas and New Year’s just shows that people really do want to get rid of the sign.” In actuality, he does not speak for Scranton.
The gathering, according to Theodore Fitzgerald, chairman of the self-described grassroots organization Luzerne County Republicans, comes after President Joe Biden commuted Kids for Cash Judge Michael Conahan’s sentence on December 13.
Children were given light penalties by former President Judge Michael Conahan and former Judge Mark Ciavarella in return for millions of dollars in payments. More than 2,500 children are believed to have been impacted by the incident.
Prior to his sentence being commuted, Conahan had already completed the most of his 17-year prison term after entering into a plea agreement.
Sandy Fonzo was among the speakers who voiced their disapproval of the streets honoring President Biden.
Eddie Fonzo’s mother, Fonzo, killed himself after claiming that her son was a victim of the Kids for Cash scam.
Fonzo told me that instead of holding this judge accountable, the mercy erases the harm he caused, ignoring the suffering of thousands of families in this community. My kid, who should still be here today, was let down by a system that was meant to protect him.
Others, like Ronald Knapp, think that doing the right thing is more important than politics.
According to Knapp, I believe it should be returned to Spruce Street because we shouldn’t support inappropriate conduct when it comes to carrying out Conahan’s punishment, which Biden did.
While they disagree with Conahan’s commutation, Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti and Lackawanna County Commissioner Bill Gaughan told Newswatch 16 that they think the street names should stay in place when questioned about the president’s decision last week.
Gaughan says he believes that a president’s entire tenure should characterize them rather than just one choice they make.
According to Cognetti, “those calls on the street and the expressway are not new, and I think those are two separate issues.” It’s terrible, in my opinion, that some of this is being utilized for political ends.
According to Fitzgerald, they will keep advocating for the renaming of the roads.
Fitzgerald informed the audience that we would exert as much pressure as possible on the elected leaders to have the placards taken down. As for things like peacefully and legally, well, we’re going to ask them to do the right thing, and I believe they will.
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Eliot Pierce is a dedicated writer for ChiefsFocus.com, covering local crime and finance news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Eliot aims to provide his readers with clear and insightful analysis, helping them navigate the complexities of their financial lives while staying informed about important local events. His commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content makes him a valuable resource for the community.