The tome of the interesting life and times of Congresswoman Corrine Brown (D-FL) adds yet another chapter as the 13-term legislator found guilty on 18 of 22 counts of fraud in May, now faces a judge for sentencing. U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan has scheduled December 4 at 10:00 am for Brown and all parties involved back in court for his decision.
Brown’s conviction brings a hefty price tag of potential prison time and retribution fines. In a nutshell, she faces up to 277 years in the pokey for conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, tax fraud, scheming to conceal facts and obstruction of IRS laws. 
And this is only Brown’s latest brush with criminal misuse of funds, and her target was the very people she vowed to help:
“Brown often asked her political supporters to contribute to One Door, a Virginia organization that the Internal Revenue Service never recognized as a charity, although jurors were told Brown described it as such. Those supporters were a major source for the roughly $800,000 One Door received over several years.”
And the money? Well, it went right into Brown’s slush fund account.
But 30 years of abusing her powerful position came to a screeching halt last week as the convicted felon came to court to speak on her behalf.
The Reinvention of Corrine
Brown, decked out in a magenta suit, appeared subdued in comparison to previous appearances in Corrigan’s courtroom. (Just before hearing guilty 18 times last spring, Brown sashayed into the courtroom, blowing kisses to her legion of ignorant supporters, before nestling into the hot seat.) This time, Brown took to the podium to beg for mercy from the court, and nary an air kiss escaped her grim-set lips:
“I am sorry you have to be here today to see me in this situation,” Brown said in her statement to the court. “I never imagined I would one day be in court asking people to speak on my behalf – never. In hindsight, I wished I had been more diligent in overseeing my personal and professional life. The idea that some people could believe these charges hurt me because it runs contrary to everything I’ve ever believed and done in my life. I hope and pray these proceedings to don’t make them [ordinary people] lose faith in the system. I humbly ask for mercy and compassion.”
Uh huh. Still pointing and blaming everyone and not taking an ounce of responsibility for her criminal actions. She must have read Mrs. Clinton’s book on how to deflect and deny before the chants of “lock her up” fade away; the narrative is eerily similar.
She also squeezed out a tear or two when the reality set in that her actions and obnoxious attitude of the past, has consequences. Did she feel remorse for what she had done? Nope; just that her cushy lifestyle was about to end. As it should.
The End of a Miserable Era
Based on guidelines from the U.S. Sentencing Commission, prosecutors are demanding prison time (seven to nine years) for Brown although the judge can rule differently as long as the sentence does not exceed the maximum limit for each conviction.
On the other side of the equation, Brown’s attorney cites her age and “legend” status as reasons to grant probation:
Brown’s attorney James Smith argued that Brown did not commit perjury during testimony. He said just because the jury convicted her despite her testimony on the stand doesn’t mean she was lying.
Smith posed two questions to the court: “What type of sentence does justice require in this case? How do you sentence someone who is a legend?” Smith said Brown is a legend because she has embodied the notion of being a public servant her whole life.Smith spoke about her life throughout the years as a black woman.“She’s reminded of the scars she’s gained in fighting for all of us,” he said.”
Bull hockey. Oh, she is legendary alright in the ways of criminals.
But I cry foul and so should Judge Corrigan. Corrine Brown has lived a charmed life; raised in a good home, well-educated and on the fast track to become a legend when greed and corruption overtook her desire to be an active public servant, loyal Floridian and a member of our nation’s government.
The iconic message from John F. Kennedy certainly rings true in the case of the Corrine the criminal; “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” This isn’t it. Shame on you.
