United Way Criminal Sees Crime Pay

1--7--2000

It was reported today that U.S. District Judge Shira Schweindlin in New York ruled that United Way must pay pension benefits of $4.4 million to William Aramony, past president who was convicted of a $600,000 fraud against the charity and is currently serving time in prison. There are some offsets, like some $2 million in salary he must return, and a $300,000 fine, but the problem is the silly logic the black-robed lawyer used in reaching the decision.

The court ruled that since Aramony's benefit plan did not mention a cutoff in case of criminal activity, then he is entitled to it. Well, for crying out loud, the plan probably didn't mention that if the world came to an end there would be some special considerations, or any number of other rational possibilities for reconsideration.

If the law required some specific reward of benefits against the common sense logic requiring at least monetary reconciliation of criminal wrongs, that would be one thing. But to rule that the absence of such law or contractual language precludes at least the offset of any payments by the amounts lost to fraudulent behavior and any resulting ramifications, then the judge exhibits pure stupidity and loss of all sense of justice. Where do they find these kinds of thinkers? Must be from the ranks of lawyers, who commonly exhibit similar neanderthal illogic.