Mark Ciavarella

You must be kidding
Timothy McNulty | April 1, 2009
Via the state's Right To Know law, the Scranton Times gets this stomach-turning request from one of the disgraced Luzerne County juvenile judges -- that the state turn over $234,000 in lump pension payments, in an attempt to squirrel it away before his monthly pension can be revoked:
WILKES-BARRE - Disgraced judge Mark Ciavarella Jr. has asked the state pension system for a one-time, lump-sum payment of nearly $234,000.
The payment, which represents his contribution to the system in 13 years on the Luzerne County bench plus interest, would protect that money from possible forfeiture after he is sentenced for accepting millions in kickbacks in connection with juvenile-detention contracts.
Mr. Ciavarella, 59, will still be eligible for a monthly pension payment of about $5,150 at least until sentencing. Retirees who are convicted of certain crimes can have their pension benefits revoked after sentencing, said Robert R. Gentzel, of the State Employees' Retirement System. But lump-sum payments cannot be recovered, he said. Mr. Ciavarella filled out his application for the pension benefits March 16, the day his resignation took effect, according to documents acquired from the pension system under the Right to Know Law. He has yet to receive payment. Mr. Gentzel said it takes weeks to process applications.
While Mr. Ciavarella's pension application, if approved, would protect the $234,000 from forfeiture, the money might still be targeted by federal prosecutors, who will seek restitution for hundreds of juveniles sentenced by Mr. Ciavarella.
Efforts to reach Mr. Ciavarella, who faces 87 months in prison, were unsuccessful Tuesday.
(h/t to PoliticsPa)