DIXON, IL- The residents and officials of Dixon, Illinois are reportedly incensed following the Thursday announcement that outgoing Democrat President Joe Biden has commuted the sentence of 71-year-old Rita Crundwell. The former Dixon comptroller was convicted after pleading guilty in 2012 to leading the largest municipal embezzlement scam in American history, pillaging $53.7 million from the town’s taxpayers over 22 years.
Forbes reported that she was sentenced to 19 1/2 years in federal prison and ordered to pay the city $53,740,394 in restitution. Crundwell was transferred into house arrest in 2021 to serve the remainder of her sentence under the CARES Act legislation referring to non-violent prisoners. She was to remain confined until 2028.
According to Fox News, Crundwell’s commutation was one in a series of 1,500 performed in a single day, in the single largest clemency action by an American President. The outlet reported that local officials and state legislators have spoken out and expressed their displeasure that she will get off "scot-free."
Republican Illinois state Sen. Andrew Chesney said the pardon of Crundwell was "nothing short of a slap in the face to the people of Dixon."
In a statement to Fox responding to the announcement, Chesney said "Her crimes did not only affect the taxpayers of Dixon, but they also had a rippling effect across the region and state, as communities became subject to stricter, more tedious regulations. First, it was the pardoning of his son, and now Biden is apparently extending clemency to anyone with political connections, including corrupt government employees. It’s sickening.”
In a Tuesday interview with “Fox & Friends First” Dixon city manager Danny Langloss said, “Rita's crime absolutely shocks the conscience…. at her sentencing on February 14th, 2013, [the judge] said that a significant prison sentence was essential to reestablish public trust and confidence, so what we've seen here over the last week is just unbelievable and really a complete betrayal by the federal criminal justice system.”
Langloss, the former Dixon Chief of Police told the outlet that the citizens of the Illinois town were “shocked,” “outraged,” and expressed “disbelief,” following the controversial move from the Biden administration. He told Fox & Friends the decision was “lazy governance, and it's really abuse of authority and power.”
Mayor Glen S. Hughes told Forbes that there was zero contact from the Biden White House prior to the commutation or even after. “There was no contact from the White House before the decision, and there doesn't seem to be much point to my making contact after the fact.”
In a statement to Forbes he wrote, “As Mayor of the City of Dixon, I believe that most of the City is probably stunned, and maybe even angry, that President Biden would provide clemency to Rita Crundwell, the preparator of probably the largest municipal misappropriations of funds in U.S. history. The Crundwell incident is one that the City would like to move past, but this action has rubbed salt in the wound.”
Forbes reported that she was sentenced to 19 1/2 years in federal prison and ordered to pay the city $53,740,394 in restitution. Crundwell was transferred into house arrest in 2021 to serve the remainder of her sentence under the CARES Act legislation referring to non-violent prisoners. She was to remain confined until 2028.
According to Fox News, Crundwell’s commutation was one in a series of 1,500 performed in a single day, in the single largest clemency action by an American President. The outlet reported that local officials and state legislators have spoken out and expressed their displeasure that she will get off "scot-free."
Meet Rita Crundwell. Crundwell was sentenced to almost 20 years for committing the largest municipal fraud in U.S. history, embezzling nearly $54 million from the small city of Dixon, IL.
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) December 12, 2024
Today, Biden granted Crundwell clemency. pic.twitter.com/k3XLjj6aOi
Republican Illinois state Sen. Andrew Chesney said the pardon of Crundwell was "nothing short of a slap in the face to the people of Dixon."
In a statement to Fox responding to the announcement, Chesney said "Her crimes did not only affect the taxpayers of Dixon, but they also had a rippling effect across the region and state, as communities became subject to stricter, more tedious regulations. First, it was the pardoning of his son, and now Biden is apparently extending clemency to anyone with political connections, including corrupt government employees. It’s sickening.”
In a Tuesday interview with “Fox & Friends First” Dixon city manager Danny Langloss said, “Rita's crime absolutely shocks the conscience…. at her sentencing on February 14th, 2013, [the judge] said that a significant prison sentence was essential to reestablish public trust and confidence, so what we've seen here over the last week is just unbelievable and really a complete betrayal by the federal criminal justice system.”
Langloss, the former Dixon Chief of Police told the outlet that the citizens of the Illinois town were “shocked,” “outraged,” and expressed “disbelief,” following the controversial move from the Biden administration. He told Fox & Friends the decision was “lazy governance, and it's really abuse of authority and power.”
Mayor Glen S. Hughes told Forbes that there was zero contact from the Biden White House prior to the commutation or even after. “There was no contact from the White House before the decision, and there doesn't seem to be much point to my making contact after the fact.”
In a statement to Forbes he wrote, “As Mayor of the City of Dixon, I believe that most of the City is probably stunned, and maybe even angry, that President Biden would provide clemency to Rita Crundwell, the preparator of probably the largest municipal misappropriations of funds in U.S. history. The Crundwell incident is one that the City would like to move past, but this action has rubbed salt in the wound.”
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