Every Day Is Special: December 9 - International Anti-Corruption Day

December 9 - International Anti-Corruption Day

Posted on December 9, 2019

Huffman and her husband, actor
William H. Macy

There's an actor named Felicity Huffman who is reasonably famous: she appeared on television shows, in comedies such as Sports Night and mystery-comedy-dramas like Desperate Housewives; she acted in movies; and she won lots of awards for acting.

Today is Huffman's birthday! Happy birthday, Ms. Huffman!

So...why am I writing about a celebrity on a post titled International Anti-Corruption Day?

Because Ms. Huffman was arrested this year for taking part in a nationwide college entrance exam scandal. She pled guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. She served eleven days out of a 14-day sentence in jail, she paid a $30,000 fine, she has to do 250 hours of community service, and she has a one-year supervised release.

What did Huffman actually do? She paid $15,000 to have a proctor correct the incorrect SAT answers of her daughter.

Geez! Rich people like Huffman (and her husband) can afford the best schools for their kids and the best SAT prep courses for their kids. They can even LEGALLY bribe their kids' way into some colleges by making a hefty donation. Why-oh-why do they have to resort to plain ole' cheating???

At least Huffman did the right thing when she was caught and arrested - she pled guilty and served her time. Another actor, Lori Loughlin, pled not guilty (she and her husband spent $500,000 to fraudulently get their daughter into her preferred university!). Apparently Loughlin and her husband, a fashion designer, didn't think the charges were that big a deal, didn't think that the DA would really send them to jail, and so they decided to say "no" to a plea deal. Since that decision, however, they have been indicted with additional - more serious - charges (like conspiracy to commit money laundering!) and they have been sued by an alumni group. So...they probably should have cooperated!!

Loughlin used to play Aunt Becky on Fuller House.

Oh, and their careers are hurt! Loughlin lost her parts in two different television shows and was even edited out of one of them that had already been filmed and was ready to air! Both Loughlin and her daughter have lost advertising gigs, partnerships, and sponsorships. Apparently the daughter is furious that her parents' crime seems to have ended her Instagram influencer career.

Corruption...

Corruption is defined as dishonest use of power and/or money. Corruption usually involves bribery and sometimes involves fraud as well.

Like I said, it's all too easy for rich and powerful people to legally influence people by making donations to schools or organizations or candidates, and then calling and making a personal plea for ______ [fill in the blank]. Even just wining and dining people, letting them into the richy-rich world of private jets and private chefs and even private islands, can be legal and very influential.

So for the rich and famous to, not only use their power in legal ways to make life easier, but to take it even farther into committing actual crimes! Well! That's crazy - although I'm sure many rich-and-powerful people engage in corruption and get away with it.

Basically, Ms. Huffman's guilty plea seems to show that she realizes that nobody is above the law. Loughlin's not-guilty plea looks very much as if she still thinks that she and her husband ARE above the law.

And while Loughlin is still fighting what is hopefully a losing battle, Huffman is working with A New Way of Life, a charity that helps women transition from prison back to life outside. Good on you, Ms. Huffman!