There have been two very important conservative-leaning groups backing sentencing "reform": The Heritage Foundation, which has been interested (as am I) in reform of non-mens rea criminal statutes; and the Koch Foundation, funded by the wealthy and libertarian Koch brothers. Without those backers, it's questionable at best how much Republican support -- support essential in the current, Republican-dominated Congress -- sentencing "reform" would ever have obtained.
In the sentencing bill to be introduced tomorrow, there will be no effort whatever to achieve mens rea reform. Perhaps this will give Heritage cause to reconsider its position, although I have no information on that score.
The Koch brothers will be getting something different from merely being ignored. Their reward for signing on to sentencing "reform" will be, Politico reports, a full-scale attack from their erstwhile allies.
Welcome to the snakepit of backroom, inside-the-Beltway deals.
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