**Written by Doug Powers

That there needs to be a law to force this into reality speaks volumes:

Governor Rick Snyder signed into law this week new legislation that will forfeit the pensions of public employees convicted of felonies that breach the public trust.
[…]
The new law, which will also forfeit public contributions made to an employee’s 401(k), follows a 2014 7 Action News investigation that revealed public officials throughout the state convicted of abusing the public trust were still collecting public pensions, some of them significant.
[…]
Ex-Detroit City Council member Lonnie Bates went to federal prison for putting ghost employees on the city payroll. In retirement, he’s been quietly collecting an almost $25,000 a year pension, for life.

Former East Detroit Superintendent John Gardiner was found guilty of accepting bribes that cost the district at least $800,000. He’s made almost that much in retirement: more than $725,000.

Former Detroit Police Sgt. Walter Bates will bank more than $500,000 in retirement if he lives to be 78. Ironically, he went to prison for robbing banksl he and his brother were indicted for planning to hit 13 of them back in 2002.

“Hopefully ending pensions for those who violated the public’s trust spreads all around the country,” the author of this post said just before looking at Lois Lerner and coughing loudly.

The Michigan law will be grandfathered in, so public-sector fraudsters already convicted can breathe easy.

(h/t to @RightGlockMom)

**Written by Doug Powers

Twitter @ThePowersThatBe