The hosts of Fox & Friends Weekend voiced their apprehension regarding President Joe Biden’s recent decision to commute the sentence of a judge linked to the infamous “kids for cash” scandal. Michael T. Conahan, a former judge from Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, was one of the 1,500 individuals whose sentences were commuted by Biden this week. In addition, the president issued 39 pardons to non-violent offenders.

Conahan has attracted significant attention due to his pivotal involvement in the “kids for cash” scheme, where he accepted kickbacks from private prisons in return for sentencing juveniles to detention facilities. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D) condemned President Biden’s decision concerning Conahan, asserting at a recent event that Biden was “absolutely wrong” in this instance. The White House indicated that Conahan qualified for sentence commutation based on his home confinement status during the COVID pandemic. Convicted in 2011 and originally sentenced to over 17 years in prison, Conahan is now a free man.

On Fox News Saturday morning, columnist Salena Zito discussed Conahan’s actions with Will Cain, characterizing the situation as a “profound scandal” in Pennsylvania. Zito emphasized the tragic repercussions of Conahan’s misconduct, including the heartbreaking suicide of a young man who had been sentenced to a juvenile detention center as part of his scheme.

Zito remarked, “This had a devastating impact on families.” Sandy Fonzo, the mother of a young man who tragically took his own life, expressed in a statement regarding President Biden’s actions, “Conahan’s actions destroyed families, including mine, and my son’s death serves as a heartbreaking reminder of the repercussions of his abuse of power.”