A TASTE OF JUSTICE: Actress Felicity Huffman Gets 14 Days College Admissions Bribery Scandal

GP ^ | 09/13/2019 | Joe Curl

[mplc51]

Actress Felicity Huffman on Friday was sentenced after she pleaded guilty in a college admissions fraud scandal — and she actually got jail time, 14 days in the clink.

The “Desperate Housewives” appeared in Boston’s federal court, where she reportedly made yet another tearful apology for her actions.“I am deeply ashamed of what I have done. I have inflicted more damage than I could ever imagine,” she said before sentencing.

While prosecutors had recommended the 56-year-old actress serve one month in prison, the judge cut that in half. Prosecutors also called for a $20,000 fine — the judge upped that to $30,000. The judge also gave Huffman 250 hours of community service and a year of supervised release.

[cabbieguy]

I think you mean “there are many fine community college’s for the children of middle class and poor children”, the upper crust deserve the best that bribery can buy.

[wetgundog]

Glad to do the body cavity search.

[Oldexpat]

In my mind, bribing public employees and altering SAT results are serious crimes and should result in years not dats in jail. Honest applicants suffer greatly when they loose out to cheats like this criminal.

[Chickensoup]

In my mind, bribing public employees and altering SAT results are serious crimes and should result in years not dats in jail. Honest applicants suffer greatly when they loose out to cheats like this criminal.

______________

at one time I would have agreed with you. But now? There is no real standard to admissions to any college or university. so to pretend there are to attempt to salvage college reputations is a farce.

[old curmudgeon]

What was the crime she was convicted of anyway? And how long are the people she bribed serving?

---

That is the question.

It takes two to complete a bribery or graft transaction.

Also the person offering the bribe has to be informed in some manner as to who will take a bribe. Walking up to someone cold turkey and making an offer is a good way to get into trouble, so most have a tip as to whom they should approach.

Which really means that there were notably known rotten apples in the university system.

How many university officials have gone to jail?

[erkelly]

What really makes me sad about this whole affair is all the wonderful little colleges scattered about this country in small towns and some in large cities. Almost all of these wonderful little schools, many of which were found in the 19th century, have gone under in the last 30 years or so. They were excellent schools, fully accredited, and ivy league faculties. Over the years, they had amassed magnificant libraries. These schools provided a wonderful provided education to young people, and some did end up as graduate students in ivy league schools. These young people were in a much safer more protected and very fun environment, and a much more personalized, and probably better education.

What a pity these blind snobs did send their children to these schools, and use their money and their social status to help these colleges stay afloat! Their children would have been very happy in these schools, and would have done very well on their own merit.

[old curmudgeon]

In addition, universities are among the most corrupt institutions in the country today. Starting with the athletic departments.

Every time a money scandal is uncovered in a university, the President always says...”I had no idea”.

Reminds me of that famous scene in the movie Casablanca.

[utax]

“There should be a public record of that.”

Yes there’s probably a list of National Merit Scholars.

The question is whether or not her scores were legit. Her answer sheet may have got “special” grading (kind of like her Mom when she took the Bar Exam in Arkansas).

[Drew68]

I don’t get the raging vindictiveness.

I agree. Our entire college admissions system is a scam that enrolls unqualified applicants at the expense of more qualified ones who don't get in. As far as I can tell, Huffman's greatest transgression was not in paying bribes but rather paying bribes inappropriately through the wrong channels.

But she's undoubtedly a liberal so there will be howls to lock her up for decades.

[Lurking Libertarian]

Bet she does 2 days and then off for good behavior.

In federal court, there's no time off for good behavior on a sentence less than a year and a day.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

That is 14 more days than Comey will do for sedition, perjury, conspiracy, fraud, lying, leaking, etc.

It’s good to be a top government employee and above the law.

[Albion Wilde]

The fine should have been enough to pay for at least half-tuition, if not full tuition, for whichever student her daughter pushed out of the queue. These days, that’s, what, a quarter to a half a million?

[Rebelbase]

Coming next season: Beverly Hills Housewives—FELONS.

[fatima]

Gonna be a lot of crying.

[Labyrinthos]

You should be fined and spend two weeks in the pokey for ending a sentence with a preposition. :-)

[Falconspeed]

Ridiculous. The movie star did what thousands have done: bribe a school. She paid $15K to get someone to take her daughter's SAT text.

Jail? Silly. The movie star should get a gold star, a free trip to Disneyland and a high-five. She exposed the criminal bribing in all colleges especially at USC. Her daughter is fine, since she is financially sound with a business and really does not want to go to college.

USC and other schools have administrators that should go to jail in the place of the movie star. Then they can improve the reputation of their schools. USC is garbage here in Los Angeles and everyone makes fun of it. Sad. USC is a beautiful campus but now has major branding problems. Pete Carroll, the football coach, is poison for any team.



She is the only adult at USC admitting mistakes.

[Michael.SF.]

In my mind, bribing public employees

As to this case, USC is a private school, so that does not apply. But let's set that aside. To me, the greater crime is accepting the bribe, not offering it, be that person at a public or private institution.

As to Huffman: I see this as a 'victimless crime', in that no one can point to a specific person who was damaged. OK, some kid did not get admitted to USC because Huffman's kid filled that seat. So what did that non-admitted kid do? Chances are he or she went to UCLA, Cal, UCI, Pepperdine or any number of other schools.

As to imprisonment? I am not sure if that would accomplish what is really desired and would cost the gov. money. I would suggest this instead:

Fine her $500,000 (that will get her attention). Then sentence her to 180 days of house arrest. But the house would have to be a 1200 sq. ft. rental property in Pacoima (20 miles north of Beverly Hills) and a very middle to lower middle class town. She would be responsible to pay the rent and food costs.

Tax payers would not be out of pocket and she would be more miserable.

[Old Grumpy]

Martha Stewart is NOT impressed.

[Truthoverpower]

This whole thing was a giant plot to try to increase interest in the social indoctrination the children

[EnquiringMind]

Lori must be shaking in her boots.