For those outside of California what is a RICO? I’ve read that word over and over but what is it?
It is a Federal statute and stands for “Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act”
In addition, from Justia:
“The federal Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) law was passed in 1970 as the “ultimate hit man” in mob prosecutions. Prior to RICO, prosecutors could only try mob-related crimes individually.”
https://www.justia.com/criminal/docs/rico/
As well:
“Where once the criminal law was an exclusively moral undertaking, it now has expanded to the point that it is principally utilitarian in nature. In some instances the law now makes criminal the failure to act in conformance with some imposed legal duty. In others the law criminalizes conduct undertaken without any culpable intent. “
and
“So what does RICO add to the criminal code?
The only apparent answer is a deeply troubling one. Although the RICO Act adds nothing of value in terms of new prohibitions of truly criminal behavior, it adds powerful weapons to the prosecutors’ arsenal. Our criticism extends far beyond lodging a complaint that RICO is duplicative of other criminal prohibitions and unfair in its broad scope and discretionary application by prosecutors. RICO represents the worst the criminal justice system has to offer any citizen: the arbitrary wielding of the government’s awesome power to impose criminal sanctions. This outrageous law should be repealed at once.”
Do tell.
https://www.independent.org/publications/tir/article.asp?id=215