The Bench or the Box? Andrea Badley-Baskin and the $273k Grift

I’ve been saying it for a decade: the difference between a lawyer, a judge, and a convict is a coin flip, a bad day, and who’s looking.

Yesterday, Judge Andrea Badley-Baskin of Michigan’s 36th District Court decided to prove me right in the most pathetic way possible. She didn’t just cross the line; she pissed on it. Indicted. Accused of stealing from the most vulnerable, incapacitated adults on her docket just to fund a "local bar" and a mortgage. And a Ford Expedition? Seriously? If you’re going to embezzle six figures from the elderly and helpless, at least have the fucking decency to buy a Range Rover. A Ford Expedition is just a loud way to announce you’re a cheap thief.

The alleged conspiracy is a family affair—guardians, group home operators, and her own father. A $273,000 haul according to federal prosecutors. It’s not just a crime; it’s a enterprise of greed.

Enter US Attorney Jerome Gorgon. This guy is probably salivating. A high-profile case involving an attorney and a judge in Detroit? That’s a career-making wet dream for a prosecutor. Gorgon is already out there playing the "public trust" card like he’s a saint.

“We respect the authority that covers a black robe... This would be a grievous abuse of our public trust,” Gorgon said.

Give me a break. Gorgon doesn’t give a shit about the "black robe." He cares about the headline. He’s looking at co-defendant Nancy Williams and her firm, Guardian and Associates, and he’s ready to burn the whole house down just to see his name in the press again.

The Judge’s exact role will be flushed out, but let’s be real. The Judicial Committee is supposed to hold her accountable. Will they force a resignation? I doubt it. These people protect their own until the handcuffs are actually clicking shut.

The real theater starts at sentencing. Because she’s a Judge and an attorney, they aren't going to just slap her wrist—they’re going to make an example out of her. In my world, we call that "The Professional Tax."

Baskin is a zero-point offender. In a fair world, she’d get minimal time. But this isn't a fair world; it’s a political one. My gut? Gorgon is going to shove a 15-point enhancement down her throat, along with every other "abuse of trust" bullshit enhancement he can find. He’s going to make sure Baskin is sitting in a prison camp this time next year with at least five years on her plea deal.

The robes come off, the jumpsuits go on, and the game keeps spinning. Stay tuned. We’ll keep bringing you the real updates while the rest of the media simply just screams how “outrageous” and “atypical” it is for a Judge to be in this position. Although, it happens a hell of a lot more than you think.