BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) \u2014 \u201cThe Lords of Bakersfield\u201d \u2014 a term that has lived in Kern County infamy for more than four decades. It is a series of stories of powerfully connected men and vulnerable minors, facing little to no consequences.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt that time there was a lot of investigation around that and then it kind of went away. Nobody really talked about it. We\u2019re seeing the same exact thing unfold where you\u2019re seeing someone use their privilege to get away from being charged with sexual molestation,\u201d said Assemblywoman Dr. Jasmeet Bains (D-Delano).<\/p>\n
Asm. Jasmeet Bains says there is \u2018Epstein loophole\u2019 in Zack Scrivner case <\/a><\/p>\n The case she is referencing is that of former Kern County supervisor Zack Scrivner.<\/p>\n Scrivner<\/a> was accused of sexually molesting his underage daughter almost two years ago, but was charged by the Attorney General\u2019s Office with child abuse and assault weapon violations.<\/p>\n The AG\u2019s Office has the case because Scrivner\u2019s aunt is Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer.<\/p>\n \u201cI knew very well that this was a set up to get a mental health diversion,\u201d said Bains. \u201cSo I called it out from day one.\u201d<\/p>\n The three bills introduced are the SCRIVNER Act, The Mental Health Diversion Reform Act and the Epstein Loophole Act.<\/p>\n Bains said the proposed SCRIVNER Act would give judges more discretion when someone is charged.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of backroom deals happen where certain charges will not be charged, even though the investigative findings are there for that charge to be there,\u201d said Bains.<\/p>\n The Epstein Loophole Act, if passed, would ban prosecutors from offering non-prosecution agreements that shield co-conspirators \u2014 the exact sweetheart deal New York Financier Jeffery Epstein received.<\/p>\n \u201cThere (are) rich and powerful people that get away with crimes and they should be held accountable to the same standards that are applied to everyone else,\u201d said Bains.<\/p>\n The mental health diversion act proposes adding serious felonies to exemption from mental health diversion.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is a place for mental health diversions and I wanna make that clear. There is a place for that. But you do see people that are abusing that,\u201d said Bains.<\/p>\n Scrivner\u2019s attorney H.A. Sala criticized Bains\u2019 proposed laws after Scrivner\u2019s most recent hearing.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is nothing but cheap political theater based on her ill-perceived attempt to gain an advantage in her congressional race,\u201d Sala said.<\/p>\n