It pays to be a politician. Democrat state Senator LeAnna Washington is proof of that.

We covered her story in March of this year. Washington was charged with theft of services and a conflict of interest, both felonies. The maximum prison time she could have faced if convicted on both charges is twelve years.

LeAnna Washington is not going to prison for twelve years. In fact, state Senator Washington is not going to prison at all.

A statewide investigating grand jury found that Washington directed her Senate staff to perform campaign work. This use of taxpayer dollars for campaign work is illegal. She was accused of using state-paid employees and equipment to plan for her annual birthday fundraiser to benefit her upcoming political campaign.

Washington was convinced she was above the law. A former employee of the maligned state senator testified during the grand jury investigation that he was scolded for questioning Washington’s use of taxpayer dollars.

The Morning Call reports:

Her case drew headlines this year as much for the allegations as for the portrait they painted of Washington, a Democrat who for more than 20 years has represented parts of Philadelphia and Montgomery County. A grand jury report said Washington berated her chief of staff when he questioned the propriety of ordering her staff to do political work on government time. “I am the [expletive] senator, I do what the [expletive] I want, and ain’t nobody going to change me,” she told him, according to his grand jury testimony. “I have been doing it like this for 17 years. So stop trying to change me.”

Yesterday, in Montgomery County Court state Sen. Washington pleaded guilty to a conflict of interest charge. The state dropped the other charge, theft of services. The plea deal keeps Washington out of jail, a result that common citizens would not be afforded. Washington will be on house arrest for three months, then will face an additional fifty-seven months on probation. The state Senator will have to pay $200,000 restitution.

This entitled woman, who was probably stealing from her constituents during the majority of her seventeen years of service, won’t have to spend a day in prison. On top of that, it appears she is only being forced to pay back a fraction of the money she stole. Thankfully, Washington lost her primary election this year, but she is entitled to keep her entire pension per the plea deal.

It makes sense why politicians are willing to sacrifice their dignity and any semblance of a normal family life. Gaining political office is a license to steal.

If you think Washington is simply a bad apple, then you need to pull your head out of the sand. Power does not inherently corrupt, but power gained through a coercive government apparatus attracts those not opposed to ruling without consent of the people. The integrity of those that are willing to lead without consent should be questioned. Washington isn’t a bad apple, she’s just the tip of the iceberg of a coercive system teeming with corruption.

Check out our past editions of Felony Friday!



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