Post Title: Speaking of CCA profits, Franklin County, OH Judge Allows Sale of 5 Prisons: Three Out-of-State Bidders. Speaking of Prisons, Ohio’s Fatherhood ‘InsideOut Dad’ Curricula [Publ. Sept. 13, 2011, Reformatted June. 6, 2022].  (case-sensitive short-link ends “-Ro”). About 10,400 words; many of those words are quotes describing fatherhood programs.

Speaking of Correction Corporations of America [Note: rebranded now as CoreCivic.com, still based in Tennessee], remember, I blogged once on “The Business of Detention” which appears to be an excellent investigative project:

The Business of Detention (Cracking Down on Immigration and Locking Up Profits) (2008 SXSW Interactive Web Award Finalist (etc.) [LGH post shortlink ending “-Ro” publ. 9/13/2011]

and Corrections Corporation of America and political lobbying, which did produce profits:

To complete the seamless connections between CCA and its federal funders, the company has hired former government officials to head key programs.

CCA’s Senior Vice President Mike Quinlan is credited with obtaining its credibility among federal clients after coming to the company with a 22-year career in public sector corrections and serving as Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons from 1987 to 1992.

“The collective corrections experience of CCA’s operations and management team, much of it gained during distinguished careers in federal or state corrections systems, is one of the most impressive in the country,” said Quinlan on the company’s website.

In 2004, after nearly 25 years with the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Kim Porter joined CCA as Senior Director of Federal Customer Relations. Porter’s primary responsibility is to manage CCA’s relationship with ICE. Anthony Odom came on board to manage CCA’s relations with USMS after he retired in 2004 from a 32-year career with the agency.

CCA’s general counsel, Gustavus Puryear IV, could give the revolving door another turn. Puryear made headlines this year when President Bush nominated him for a federal judge seat in the Middle District of Tennessee, where CCA is headquartered. Puryear has worked as a speech writer for Vice President Dick Cheney. He testified during a Senate hearing that he would recuse himself from cases involving the company.

Among the politicians strongly connected with CCA is Tennessee’s Lamar Alexander. This listing service of the top 10, top 50 (etc.) richest Congressmen & women, shows him at #24.

A browse through this list shows clearly that among these wealthy, next to ZERO of them got that way through jobs.   They have real estate, they have stocks, and some of the younger members seem to have holdings (or run business) involved in technology, which seems smart as it is EVERYwhere.

Others married Rockefeller relatives, etc.

Topping the list is Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts in 2010. This talks about their losses.  Despite those losses, they are Congresspeople, often with spouses (and assets in the name of those spouses) beneficiaries of family trusts and “blind trusts.”  They vote on things such as how society will look for people who have none of these options, including where incarcerated family members may be dwelling, and who is handling how to get profits from THAT company.

This is from 2009  [“rollcall.com/congress…”]

24. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)
$12.13(that’s million)

The Tennessee Senator remains financially steady, reporting a slight 2 percent dip in his minimum net worth in 2008.

Alexander reported the sale of at least $1.5 million in stock of Bright Horizons Family Solutions, a national workplace child care services provider. The sale included stock Alexander previously valued at $500,000 to $1 million, as well as stocks held by his wife previously valued at “over $1 million.”

The Senator continues to own $5 million to $25 million of stock in Processed Foods Corp., a Knoxville-based company where he served on the board prior to his election to the Senate in 2002. His wife also owns “over $1 million” in company stock.

The Alexanders also list numerous real estate holdings, including commercial buildings and undeveloped properties, such as a Nantucket, Mass., plot that Alexander values at $1 million to $5 million, which his wife also lists as an asset valued at “over $1 million.”

By Contrast, the 57-year old Sen. Mark Harmon, a freshman legislator, ranked #5 in 2009.  Just for information:

5. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.)
$72.37 million

The Virginia Senator lands on the highest rung among the 11 freshman lawmakers who joined the 50 wealthiest Members of Congress.

Warner made his fortune as a co-founder of Nextel telecommunications company and via an investment in Columbia Capital.

Among his assets, Warner is the beneficiary of the MRW Trust, which initially served as a blind trust after his election to the Virginia governor’s office in 2001 until 2006. The fund includes a money market account valued at $5 million to $25 million, as well as numerous city and state bonds.

Nonetheless, Warner reported nearly $19 million less in personal wealth than he did in his previous financial disclosure form filed as a candidate ahead of the 2008 elections.

Warner reported $9 million less in U.S. Treasury notes than he did as a candidate. He also reduced the value of two investment funds, Pointer LP and Signature Financial Management, both of which dropped from the $5 million to $25 million category to the $1 million to $5 million column.

In addition, Warner reports holdings in three investment partnerships worth $5 million to $25 million each.

Co-founded Nextel.  Investment.  Set up as a beneficiary of a blind trust (the trust spins of interest or other income, obviously).  That it has city and state bonds means the city and state owe the trust money at interest; that’s what (as I understand the term) BONDS are. Also Treasury notes, and investment partnerships.  He’s a Harvard grad, no military duty …..After losing $19 million, he still ranks at #5.  He’s married with three children.

Now remember those women in the Chowchilla (or wherever) prison system, as reported in 2000, that may not have $5.00 and if they need more than 5 sanitary napkins (did anyone say tampons?) per month, may have to sell themselves for sex to get some more.  This may be tricky when rape (not actually paying with bartered goods for services) is already clearly a problem in prisons, and many women who got to prison had experienced abuse before getting there, possibly related to their drug habits, not that it’s an excuse.

(Sorry, I can’t resist).   “Roll Call” this August 15 (by Amanda Becker) shows the Bachmanns (as in Michelle Bachmann) with about $2.8 million:

Republican presidential candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann has assets worth up to $2.8 million, the largest of which are the building housing her husband’s psychotherapy clinic and a family farm, according to disclosure forms she filed late Friday.

Anyone ever think about tracking the real estate in which family law business is transacted?  I know I have…..

What if women’s prison was in Ohio?  So here’s Corrections Corporation of America, that invested lobbying and  has former prison board employees on its board:

Well, here they are again.

Ohio to Proceed With Sale of Five Prisons

After Judge Denies Delay Request

By Mark Niquette – Aug 31, 2011 1:32 PM PT

(THIS IS THE ENTIRE ARTICLE):

Ohio will proceed with its plan to sell five prisons after a county judge denied a request today for a temporary restraining order to stop the sale.

The Rehabilitation and Correction Department scheduled a news conference for tomorrow in Columbus to announce the contract awards, the department said in a release.

“We believe our process is sound,” Carlo LoParo, a spokesman for the department, said by telephone from Columbus.

ProgressOhio, a Columbus nonprofit group that describes itself as a “progressive voice for Ohio citizens,” filed a lawsuit to block the sale on grounds it violated the state constitution.

Judge Patrick E. Sheeran of Franklin County Common Pleas Court declined to issue a restraining order and set a hearing for Sept. 13 in Columbus to consider legal arguments.

“Neither the selection of bidders nor the awarding of a contract will constitute irreparable harm for purposes of this motion,” Sheeran wrote in his 16-page opinion.

Ohio wants to sell five prisons, including one that’s closed and two that are privately operated, to raise an estimated $200 million to help balance its budget.

Three companies submitted bids in June to buy and operate the facilities, according to the correction department. They are: Nashville-based Corrections Corp. of America Inc., Geo Group Inc. (GEO) of Boca Raton, Florida, and Management and Training Corp. of Centerville,Utah.