Trial. A formal inquiry designed to prove and put upon record the blameless characters of judges, advocates and jurors. – Ambrose Bierce, The Devil’s Dictionary
One year ago today I reported the story of Jack T. Camp, a federal judge in Atlanta, Georgia who made a career of throwing the book at people for consensual crimes; he fell for a stripper whom the F.B.I. then bribed into betraying her client by promising to drop other consensual crime charges against her. So she led him into a fake drug deal and the FBI arrested him and charged him with an assortment of drug and weapon charges for which any normal person would’ve faced decades in prison. But since he is a member of the ruling class (albeit a disgraced one), what he actually got was far less time in jail than a Georgia woman who was accused of agreeing to have sex with someone for the “wrong” reasons (like, you know, to pay the bills and feed her kids) might have been sentenced to. This story is from last March, but was only called to my attention a few weeks ago by Norma Jean Almodovar’s guest column:
After telling him he has “a scarlet letter chiseled on his forehead the rest of his life,” a federal judge sentenced disgraced ex-jurist Jack Camp to 30 days in prison for committing repeated crimes with a stripper. “He has disgraced his office,” Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan said…“He has denigrated the federal judiciary. He has encouraged disrespect for the law.”
Camp, who was arrested [on October 1st, 2010] in an undercover drug sting, pleaded for leniency. He asked to be allowed to remain in his home and community to repair his marriage and rebuild his name. “When I look back at the circumstances which brought me here, it makes me sick to think I did them,” he said. “They were illegal, wrong, foolish…The only thing I can say is that I’m so very sorry.” In court filings, Camp’s lawyers told Hogan that depression and a bipolar disorder as well as brain damage sustained in a 2000 bicycle accident — all exacerbated with improper prescriptions — help explain the ex-judge’s erratic and reckless conduct last year.
…Camp’s son, an Atlanta lawyer, asked Hogan to sentence his father to probation…but Hogan…said he could not get around the fact that a high-ranking government official had committed such serious offenses. He then read aloud the oath of office Camp took 22 years ago…[which] included Camp’s pledge, he noted, to follow the law. “Instead, for whatever reasons, the demons he had made him go another way,” Hogan said…[adding] “There was no suggestion this conduct was ending.” Hogan also ordered Camp to serve 400 hours of community service, pay a $1,000 fine and reimburse the government for the cost of its prosecution, which has yet to be determined. Camp will get credit for the weekend he spent in jail after his arrest.
…In one ruling issued Friday, Hogan found that Camp had not committed a felony, as prosecutors believed he…had when they signed the plea agreement. Instead, Camp committed three misdemeanors, exposing him to a sentence of up to 6 months in prison. Prosecutors asked Hogan to sentence Camp to at least 15 days…Camp’s lawyers asked for probation and community service. Camp said the past few months had been a nightmare for him and said it has been a struggle to go out in public because of his humiliation and shame. “I had worked hard as a judge and earned a respected reputation,” he said. “Now I’ll be known as the judge who disgraced himself at the end of his career.”
I’m sure most people who are arrested in elaborate and expensive stings and charged with federal drug offenses feel sick and sorry; I’ll bet lots of them suffer from depression and could even hire quacks to diagnose them with serious mental illnesses or “brain damage” (especially since the Drug Warriors claim that illegal drugs cause brain damage). I’m positive that lots of them would just love to be allowed to remain in their homes to repair their marriages and rebuild their names, and I’m certain they’d be overjoyed if the felonies for which they had already agreed to a plea bargain magically diminished into misdemeanors. And I daresay most of them would consider a $1000 fine plus court costs assessed after only five months of worry to be a bargain compared to the years-long, repeatedly-delayed, resource-draining, often-escalating nightmare of a typical federal prosecution. But they’re not judges, so they are humiliated, bankrupted, forced to commit perjury and betray others and then thrown into prison for an average of six years. But someone who “…disgraced his office…denigrated the federal judiciary…[and] encouraged disrespect for the law” gets a slap on the wrist, because, you know, he’s “suffered enough”. Well, at least this gives us a new legal dodge; we’ll call it the “bicycle defense”. Too bad it won’t work for anyone but a politician.
Pretty much par for the course there Maggie. Hell, we have an attorney general who was briefed on the ATF program to allow guns to fall into the hands of Mexican drug lords – guns which were used to kill Mexican citizens and at least one US law enforcement officer.
Hell – had I sold these guns I’d be charged with accessory to murder. Not these guys though – they won’t even resign.
And – we now have a “secret panel” that can decide which Americans can be “assassinated” without due process of law.
These are scary times we’re living in.
Krulac,
The “theory” of course is that when government actors do criminal things they are supposed to be held to a higher standard of conduct. And when they do it while exercising their powers under government sanction they face enhanced penalties for criminal action under color of law.
Now, if you believe that theory, I’ve got some really nice real estate you just need to take an option on! 😉
The truth is, as you pointed out, that the Powers That Be get to skate whilst us mere peons would face the enhanced penalties even if we were ignorant of the law or the intentions of the actors we “conspired” with. Ignorance of the law is no excuse… Unless you’re one empowered under that law.
The only time one of the PTB’s gets thrown to the dogs is when they embarrass their colleagues publicly. And then it’s usually a bunch of muzzled chihuahua’s rather than the ravenous canines they actually deserve.
Dear Krulac, the thing with some (NOT ALL) in US government having that assassination list isn’t new, unfortunately. It’s still going on under the “wonderful SAVIOR” (1 of the terms I made up for that ###*** Obama). I thought the “SAVIOR” was going to fix everything, save everything, etc.? RIGHT! While he has done a few good things (he deserves credit for the good he does like everyone else does), the fact that this thing is still going (the list) along with how he could care less about going after Dubya, Cheney, etc., legally is enough for me to say ###*** you and you won’t EVER get my vote until that list is gone and Dubya, etc., are arrested, etc. This list is being talked about by at least a few alternative news people (thank God) and the more the word gets out the better.
In court filings, Camp’s lawyers told Hogan that depression and a bipolar disorder as well as brain damage sustained in a 2000 bicycle accident — all exacerbated with improper prescriptions — help explain the ex-judge’s erratic and reckless conduct last year.
Then why was he on the bench ruling if he was so damaged? And if he really was this mentally disturbed, all the trails he presided over and rules on need to be declared mistrials. Anyone who went before him should sue the state — and him personally. I hope they’re reading this.
Just wanted to say this first; Maggie all i have to say is wow……Your writing skills are just beautiful. Obviously im a man so im attracted to physical beauty, but intelligence like this along with beauty is such a turn on for me lol. Your husband is very lucky to have a wife like you that actually allows an open relationship and understands a man’s needs. Wish i could find a relationship like that with someone like that.
Anyway as for this Jack T. Camp, nothing is new in that case. I just wish public officials would just be straight up and stop it with the BS apologies. Yeah you disgraced yourself by being a hypocrite……but just admit that your a man and wanted to do what all men think of doing.
It is a shame that it is so rare in this society to find people like Maggie that understand that its in our nature and instead we have to deal with idiots like “Thomas Hogan” saying things like.. He has disgraced his office,” …“He has denigrated the federal judiciary”. He has encouraged disrespect for the law.”
Is that guy serious? He sounds like a nagging mother. My biggest pet peeve has always been men that harshly criticize “affairs” that other men have and act all self righteous. Another thing that doesnt make sense at all to me……Why did they give him a lesser punishment than the stripper, when she was the one who agreed to make a deal with them?
Am i missing something?
Thank you for the lovely compliments, Jordan! 🙂
As I understand it the stripper, Sherry Ann Ramos, had already served a prison sentence for distribution of methamphetamine and the feds threatened to send her back to prison for probation violations unless she helped them set up Camp. When I wrote “what he actually got was far less time in jail than a Georgia woman who was accused of agreeing to have sex with someone for the “wrong” reasons (like, you know, to pay the bills and feed her kids) might have been sentenced to“, I was not referring to Ramos but rather to the fact that a prostitute in Georgia can be sentenced to up to a year in prison and a $1000 fine for a first offense. I’m sorry if I caused any confusion!
Its ok Maggie i understand better now. Another thing that amazes me is that for such a “industrialized country” its amazing that we are so primitive when it comes to sex and drug “crimes”
Btw Maggie are you busy at the moment? Im a young college student and i was hoping to email you and ask you some questions that have been on my mind.
I’m working on my column for October 18th, but whenever possible I make time to answer my readers’ letters as they arrive so please, feel free to email me whenever you like. 🙂
Ok thanks. I have to warn you it might be really long. I understand that you might not be able to answer right away. Il be patient :).
Dear Jordan Johnson, while the women who do have what I call “arrangements” (where a couple can have sex with others) and also can have sex without becoming emotionally attached are a small % of the whole population, there’s more of us than too many people let on. Please don’t give up on trying to find 1 of these women! It takes work to meet new people if it’s for sex or NOT. When I was ready for a relationship plus what I call “sex only” friends I puposely sought out to meet people. If I hadn’t, who knows what kind of life I’d have now! It’s likely it would be lonely and empty. You NEVER KNOW what you’ll get when you work to meet people. It can be horrible OR great. An example is when I started to meet men for sex only and the 1st man I met was a real ###***. I could have EASILY said “forget all this”! NEVER! I kept going and yes, it took a LOT of effort, but I met a few men that did have manners, didn’t lie and wanted what I did which was to see each other whenever we were “in the mood” for sex. It was wonderful to call each other up when we were in the mood and not have any game-playing or ###***. It was worth all the work and the ###*** I experienced during my search. When I met the man who would become my fiance, we found out pretty quickly we both wanted an “arrangement”. I haven’t acted on it for a while now (for various reasons), but it’s set up that at any time I can act on it and it’s also OK if I don’t. The same goes for him. If you don’t make the effort to find someone who also wants an arrangement, then you’ll NEVER know what you missed out on. The same goes for giving up when you meet ###***. I learned that it’s WORK and to try is a risk, but it’s a risk VERY worth it. You’ll learn even from the ###*** you meet! I sure did. I say don’t ever give up and I hope you do find someone.
Thanks Laura ill continue to try. I hope I am lucky one day to be in a relationship like this. Nothing would make me more content one day having a very well paying job, a wife that understands what “marriage” actually is(in the way like Maggie described it), and the permission and freedom to”sleep around” whenever I feel the need…..obviously without emotional attachments.
*Sighs*……The perfect dream
Dear JJ, you’re welcome. I forgot to add that it’s also possible you may NOT ever meet a woman into this. It would be wrong of me to say when you try you’re guaranteed to meet someone. I HATE how things are this way at times, but that’s the unfortunate reality. The ideal would be that all who want someone find someone! All we can do is TRY and what’s great is there’s at least a few cases (thank God!) where people who do want arrangements find each other. I wish you the best with your efforts! Don’t ever give up!
Yet anytime something happens in this nation, a pack of imbeciles begin braying for new laws.
Unless you are rich, and powerful (and even better if you’re a white man) the laws are not written for you, but against you. They are written to control you, and for the benefit of the powerful. That’s why they get away with what you never could.
Look at the Wall Street Banksters. They should all be in prison. But not a one is.
Not sure if you heard of the ashton kutscher affair scandal:
http://perezhilton.com/2011-10-03-new-details-revealed-on-ashton-kutcher-alleged-affair-in-san-diego-hard-rock-hotel#.TpDa-5lCJJJ
http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/09/28/demi-moore-splitting-from-ashton-kutcher-as-woman-comes-forward-with-alleged/
You’re just a few hours early; see tomorrow’s column. 😉
Lmao I was wondering when you would mention this story Maggie. Lol the guy is such a douche. The same thing happened months ago and he denied it and now he is doing the same thing. The guy always acts like a victim with his “holier than thou” quotes. I miss the foolish and loveable Kelso
Can’t wait to see your post on him 🙂
[…] (typeof(addthis_share) == "undefined"){ addthis_share = [];}Maggie McNeill has a post up today about Judge Jack Camp. One year ago today I reported the story of Jack T. Camp, a federal […]
You inspired a thought that was too long for a comment and ended up as a blog post. Short version: stuff like this is precisely the reason we have the excesses of the War on Drugs and the War on Whores and even the War on Terror. The elite do not live in the same country we do. When we get busted for drugs, we go to jail; they get treatment. When we get busted for seeing prostitues, we get fined or jailed; they get commentary gigs on Slate and MSNBC. I mean, do you think if the cops find some Congresswoman with multiple condoms, they’ll poke holes in them? The politicians don’t care about issues like drugs and prostitution because it doesn’t affect them.
It’s like the west is returning to Feudalism again. 🙁
Exactly, MikeS. The Wall Street Banksters robbed the bnaks, and they got bail outs. a working person tries robbing a bank and they get 10-30, if not killed in the process. But that’s capitalism, the power and privilege concentrates with the money.Laws are never applied equally to the lawmakers.
But Comixchik, that’s my point; it’s NOT capitalism. As The Dudes Are Emerging rightfully points out, it’s feudalism. Whether the overlords become overlords by birth, money, political connections or being good at tests (as in medieval China), they’re still overlords and when they have privileges the common people don’t, it’s feudalism. To call that “capitalism” is like calling a communist country a “democratic republic” because there are elections.
Capitalism is NOT a political system, it’s an economic system. When plutocrats run the government, it’s a plutocracy, and when plutocrats, politically connected aristocrats, populist leaders and other representatives of social groups share the power (as in the U.S.), it’s a syndocracy. When a syndocracy is militaristic in character and has a police state, it’s called fascism (especially if its leaders are surrounded by a Cult of Personality). That’s what the United States is quickly developing.
The resident history lexicography weenie/lurker is with you on everything expect feudalism: pace Maggie and Dudes, I think that you mean oligarchy, rule by the select few. Unless it involves holding property in exchange for service, it’s not feudalism–a term historians don’t actually use much any longer, as it has been so diluted as to have no further utility.
You’re right, Bandoblue; I really should not be so sloppy with that sort of term. Mea culpa.
At least he wasn’t let go because “he’s the only one who can do this job.” We heard a lot of that during the bank bailouts.