Washington – The U.S. Department of Justice again has declined to intervene in the sentencing of a convicted kosher meat executive.
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Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer wrote in a letter Monday that concerns about the sentencing of former Agriprocessors executive Sholom Rubashkin were best raised with the presiding judge in northern Iowa, Linda Reade, or with local federal prosecutors.
Breuer’s letter, addressed to Rubashkin’s attorney Nathan Lewin, follows several appeals for examination of the case. Federal prosecutors are seeking a hefty sentence for Rubashkin’s conviction on fraud charges. Sentencing is due to take place this month.
Read more at The JTA
Appealing to the DOJ, just like the SCOTUS application was nothing more than a stunt to garner more sympathy outside the courtroom because in the courtroom there is none. How is Justice going to insert itself into an open court proceeding? By what mechanism? And the last time the Supreme Court heard a bail application was?Check my posts way back when. Show some remorse, admit guilt, be contrite, cooperate with the prosecution – and SMR would never be facing such tsoros.
This entire process doesn’t make sense, but as maaminim its not an oversight. maybe its a necesary koporo for having done something that compromised kashruth, which requires golus, as the past proved. No pointing fingers here but something to think and learn.
I don’t know of any case, where a defendant showed 0 remorse, didn’t cooperate with the prosecution at any step of the case, committed felonies while out on bail, and was found guilty; was then cut some slack by the Prosecution.
Its boggles the mind that people don’t get it. Now, if you like the guy, you have every right to plead his case, but don’t be mystified by the prosecution’s reaction.
sad and unfortunate news, nontheless hashem runs the world and he will show us he is in charge.
from an on the ground perspective apparently someone high up and powerful is out to get him and has more power than we know about.
sentencing logic and fairness is not being used, guidelines maybe but not common sense.
can real people with real ideas make a difference if yes tell us how tell us where.
The judge may cut a few years off the maximum sentence but that about all they should do at this point. This is not somthing for DOJ to intervene on. There are literally thousands of cases where the sentencing guidelines yield inequitable outcomes but thats for Congress to fix. (for example the 18:1 disparity in sentences for posession of one form of heroin used by black versus the type favored by whites). Any changes would be prospective. otherwise, it would create havoc in the penal system.
After all these motions and appeals over the last two years– and not to win even one?!
Makes it pretty obvious that there must be a special interest behind this who has a lot of power.
Im curious to know who it is.
Mind you! IMHO They are the ones who direct the US District Attorney in the first place. It is their call, they don’t have to intervene, they should STOP intervening.
Something else (big) must be going on here that we (the public) are not privy to. It can’t always be anti-semitism.
” seeking a hefty sentence” quotes the JTA. Why don;t they report the truth, that our government is seeking ” life in prison” for Mr Rubashkin. Why are our own even afraid to tell the truth. This is not fair and honest reporting. Maybe if, G-d forbid, the sentence is life, . JTA will say he was sentenced ” for a very long time,” Please stop using this news source. Clearly inaccurate, to say the least.
with regards to comment, #10 i agree with yoel g, what a disgrace! Chassid shoteh is an understatement. Let us not under-estimate the power of tehilim.
Moshiach Now!
What is missing is prosecutors may have anbitions to advance their careers. If an aggresive prosecution that is so out of proportion to what is alleged will reflect badly on the Attorneys involved and their bosses going all the way up to the Oval Office. If Mr. Holder is not making a phone call to the US Attorney trying the case to tone it down means Washington is OK with the scapegoating of SMR.
Before going off on that statement bear in mind their are two considerations. First guilt or innocence . The seccond the penalty if found guilty. Evidently other CEO s of meatpacking plants who were tried for illegal aliens received fines or short sentences. Their businesses were not destroyed as a result of an ICE raid. Further SMR did not go over his credit l9ine and untill the ICE raid was performing on his bank loan/credit line. Therefore, the fraud charge while technically correct the bank was not complaining . The matter alleged is typically treated as a civil matter it is remarkable that the AUSA decided to pursue a criminal charge.
So an eager AUSA is looking to make one’s career or something far more odious is afoot with the administration’s blessing
the ppl that comment on this web site are nuts dont you relize that we are out own worst enemy how can anyone really sit back and watch a fellow jew waiting for a trial on life sentence????? did he kill anyone? rape anyone? get a life stop bashing him
its amazing how naive some can be in believing the media so blindly- Rubashkin is being treated way too harshly- and desrves our support- its shocking how some dont see it!
someone powerful like dov hikind or our new david greenfield or chabad headquarters need to organize a million man march & we all gather 100’s of busses from all states & meet in washington for a huge protest raleigh (call it tehillim ralliegh if it sounds better) & show solidarity & support for the rubashkin family that has provided us for years wiyh kosher poultry
affordable prices!!!
well in the USA no one hires an illegal , all make sure to pay all their taxes and when you take a home or business loan declare all 100%, …… this is the message no one is above anything and the people of Iowa are next and it will be coming to a state near you.. the very people in the 1800 ‘s who voted in taxes will be taxed the most and be hit hardest….now if only we could catch Robin hood!!!!
The best way for Rubashkin to get leniency would be to do the obvious things.
1) Show some remorse for his crimes. And he has already been convicted of close to ninety of them with more possibly to come
2) Cooperate with the government’s ongoing investigation of Agriprocessors and his family’s financial misdealings
3) Make restitution for the wrongdoing for which he’s already been convicted
4) Stop turning every setback into screams of “Anti-Semite! Nazi!”
Many other high-profile criminals including Jewish ones see mercy in the sentencing phase by following these simple rules. Bombastic appeals and demands to the Supreme Court and the White House do not work.
SMR did not try and cut a deal and ask for mercy from the court because the court would have required him to moser on other family members who were involved in the crimes at Agriprocessors. In short, he would have had to implicate his own father, brother, sister, brother-in-law … So, for the sake of the family, he is taking the fall.
bottom line we are in golus whether we face the fact or not
the sholom rubashkin case and the pollard case just reinforces to us that no matter how comfortable we feel in this blessed country we are still only guests here and unless we daven and really pour out our hearts to hashem we cant depend on anyone in govt to come to our aid may hashem help all asurim