Felicity Huffman wanted to make sure her daughter had a chance at becoming an actress — so she got her into college through bribery.
On Friday, Huffman will be facing sentencing for pleading guilty for her part in the national scandal.
(Update: Huffman was sentenced to 14 days in jail on Friday.)
Related: Why Lori Loughlin Pleaded Not Guilty in the College Admissions Scam
The justice system punishes criminals for the purposes of ensuring they never commit those crimes again. It also has sentencing guidelines in place to deter others.
Giving a large fine to a wealthy criminal would send the message a person can buy his or her way out of taking responsibility. A month in jail would send the message no one is above the law.
“‘Desperate Housewives’ star Felicity Huffman is set to be sentenced on Friday for federal crimes stemming from the massive ‘varsity blues’ college entrance scam, and prosecutors are asking a judge to send her to prison,” as ABC News noted.
“Huffman, 56, will learn her fate when she appears in U.S. District Court in Boston in front Judge Indira Talwani, to whom she has pleaded for leniency,” the outlet also noted.
“Earlier this month, Huffman’s lawyers filed legal papers asking Talwani to not send the Oscar-nominated actress to prison, writing that ‘nothing about her history and characteristics require a prison sentence.’ Huffman’s lawyers have asked Talwani to impose a one-year probation term, 250 hours of community service and a $20,000 fine. But federal prosecutors have asked the judge to sentence Huffman to one month of incarceration, followed by 12 months of supervised release and a fine of $20,000.”
We read that Huffman’s bribe is among the smaller ones — but this shouldn’t matter.
Related: Celebrities React to Shocking Admissions Scam
That would be like saying one bank robber deserves a lighter sentence because he didn’t steal as much as another robber did.
The real crime is Huffman and others altered forever the future of young people — who had done all the right things, done all the work, made all the sacrifices, and actually had the ability to get a college spot — just so they, the adults, could satisfy their own selfish agendas for their kids.
What Huffman did in taking away opportunities for other well-deserving students was wrong — just as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) was wrong, by her own selfish lies from years ago, in taking away job opportunities from well-deserving Native-Americans.
Anything less than a year in jail for Huffman would be a travesty, in this writer’s opinion.
A decision for no jail time or only 30 days behind bars would reinforce the notion that the well-to-do and famous get special treatment over other Americans.
This piece by Wayne Dupree originally appeared in The Political Insider and is used by permission.
Read more at ThePoliticalInsider.com:
Man Whose Mother Died on 9/11 Blasts Ilhan Omar During Ground Zero Memorial
Ocasio-Cortez Says Republicans Who Vote Against Impeaching Trump Will Have ‘Stain on Their Careers’
Ocasio-Cortez Scolded During Testimony by Former Obama ICE Chief Over Hatred of ICE
The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette.
Join the Discussion
COMMENTS POLICY: We have no tolerance for messages of violence, racism, vulgarity, obscenity or other such discourteous behavior. Thank you for contributing to a respectful and useful online dialogue.