A judge’s recommendation that former state Sen. Ronald Calderon be considered for early release from prison over a corruption case drew criticism Monday from one state legislator, while a federal prosecutor downplayed the action. The possibility of early release for Calderon, sentenced in a bribery case, drew outrage from Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens), whose district overlapped with Calderon’s. “Former California Sen. Ron Calderon needs to be kept in prison,” she said in a statement. “It’s bad enough that he walked away with a mere 42 month sentence when his crimes dictated 396 years. Granting his request for early release — after only serving seven months in a white-collar facility — is an added insult to my community and a void of justice in our democracy.”Assistant U.S. Atty.

Source: Los Angeles Times August 14, 2017 21:00 UTC