Kock Industries For Criminal Justice and Prison Reform? and Missouri Felony Stealing Statute Ruled Invalid

KOCH Industries For Criminal Justice and Prison Reform?

The Koch brothers are known for their support of the American Legislative Exchange Council that pushes the interests of business and socially conservative legislation. ALEC has written numerous pieces of legislation that support private prison expansion, privatizing prison administration and services, as well as long sentences for any number of crimes. So why is the Charles Koch Institute supporting an effort to reform the Criminal Justice system and the Prison Industrial Complex? Should we trust that they have the best interest of the public as their motivation or does profit have a role to play?

Host Craig Lubow will talk with Mark Holden, general counsel and senior Vice President at Koch Industries. He will discuss the initiatives they are promoting for sentencing reform and prison reform in the criminal justice system.

Find more on the The Charles Koch Institute webpage – https://www.charleskochinstitute.org/issues/criminal-justice-policing-reform/

More on our guest Mark Holden’s effort at reform – http://kochstories.com/articles/and-justice-for-all

Fedback –
From: Curt W
To: Craig Lubow
Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2017 6:24 PM
Subject: Koch Industries on KKFI

Hello Craig
I was bothered by your giving the Koch Brothers free air time on KKFI. Below is a link to a show where this is discussed. The KB campaign to whitewash their racist image and what responsible people should do about it starts half way through the program. When I mailed this the video was not yet available but it should be soon.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/interviews/investigative-journalist-author-jane-mayer/

Investigative Journalist and Author Jane Mayer
www.pbs.org
The investigative journalist and author discusses her book Dark Money detailing the Koch brothers, money, and politics.

Hi Curt,

Thank you for your feedback and especially thank you for the link to the interview with Jane Mayer. I often watch Tavis, but missed that episode. As Tavis points out the question is whether to discuss issues with which the Kochs mutually support with your issues, or to avoid giving them any press because of their other positions. It is very much the same debate in international affairs. Should the United States talk to leaders in Iran and other countries that act contrary to our interests? Should we talk to Russia? Should we talk to China? Are we enabling those leaders by talking to them? Are we using those conversations to our advantage by perhaps gaining some influence? There is no easy answer.

What I do know is that they have spent a lot of money in support of criminal justice reform and marriage equality, as well as some other progressive social issues. On the opposite end of the spectrum, they have also spent millions on political candidates and organizations that do not support the progressive organizations on those issues. The problem is that when you view how their family became the wealthiest Americans, they are obviously going to support political candidates and organizations that will protect what they perceive to be their business interests. It may just be possible that in doing so they might be able to influence some of the alt right conservatives to bend some on the other issues. I can tell you I am involved in some organizations that are seeking to abolish the death penalty. In many states, we have actually convinced more conservative legislators than “liberal” legislators to join the fight against the death penalty.

The purpose was not to give Koch Industries “free” air time. The purpose was to explore the issue of criminal justice reform with some people who appear dedicated to reform and might be in a better position than most of us to actually influence the legislators to do something to reform the system. I hope none of our listeners actually were led to believe that Koch Industries is a good citizen. Clearly they are not when you consider the environmental damage they are contributing too.

I hope this answers your concerns. Thanks.

Craig Lubow

Missouri Supreme Court Rules Felony Stealing Statute Invalid

A ruling from last year’s Missouri Supreme Court session totally escaped us and it has made a lot of work for Prosecutors and Defense Attorneys across the state. In the case State vs Bazell a woman who was convicted of stealing guns, electronics, jewelry and other items adding up to about $8,000 challenged the felony stealing statute. The justices found a fatal contradiction between two subparagraphs in the section defining criminal theft in a 2002 legislative adjustment to the criminal code. The court found that “The definition of stealing in section 570.030.1 is clear and unambiguous,” and that a later subsection setting a dollar amount to determine felony theft to be contradictory. As a result of this ruling all stealing offenses in the State of Missouri were ruled to be misdemeanors and the felony charges and convictions must be reversed. The question is what are prosecutors and defense attorneys public and private doing to comply with this ruling?

Host Latahra Smith talks with Tommy Simmons, Para Legal and formerly incarcerated citizen about the impact of this ruling in Jackson County and what can be done to hold our Prosecutor accountable for rectifying the cases already prosecuted and the pending cases on their books.

KC Freedom Project –
Website – http://kcfreedomproject.org/
Phone – 816-456-9776

Riverfront Times article on invalidated statute – http://www.riverfronttimes.com/newsblog/2016/08/26/missouri-supreme-court-strikes-law-for-felony-stealing-after-legislative-blunder


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