I cannot support Paige Cognetti in her bid for Congress, and a major reason is her continued support for Joe Biden even after he decided to commute the sentence of former judge Michael Conahan.

The “Kids for Cash” scandal is not some distant headline in northeastern Pennsylvania, but a painful chapter that directly affected families in our communities. Young people were wrongfully sent into the juvenile justice system for profit, and the damage done to their lives cannot be erased. 

For many here, it remains a deeply personal and unresolved wound.

That is why the commutation of Conahan’s sentence struck such a nerve. It sent a message that accountability for one of the most egregious abuses of public trust in our region could be softened. 

Regardless of political affiliation, leaders should be willing to speak out when something so closely tied to our community’s trauma occurs.

Instead, Mayor Cognetti continued to stand by the former president without meaningful criticism. That raises serious concerns about her judgment and her willingness to put the interests and sentiments of northeastern Pennsylvanians first.

This region lived through the consequences of the “Kids for Cash” scandal. We understand its impact in a way that cannot be learned from the outside. Our representative in Congress should reflect that understanding and be willing to stand up to members of their own party when our community deserves it.

Floyd Zabel
Jermyn, PA