A Travesty of The US Department of Justice Exposed
 
There is a US citizen sitting in The Linn County Correctional Facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

The crime, for which he committed and is being held, is bank fraud of $26 million dollars. These few lines will not allow for even the timeline of concurrent, terribly hurtful events against this man. Nor will it allow for the timeline which brought about the decimation of the largest kosher meat producing plant in Judaism's history. A very powerful assault by the combined forces of The Workers Union of America, PETA, and the Justice department led to a massive, military style raid, complete with Blackhawk helicopters, on the Agri plant in Postville, Iowa.
 
Thereafter, after sordid, unsubstantiated rumors “hit the presses” and a forced bankruptcy of Agri was orchestrated, the arrest of Mr. Sholom Rubashkin on bank fraud charges took place. He did foolishly commit bank fraud that is a fact.
 
Also fact, The Justice Department has applied to the court for a life sentence against Mr. Rubashkin. Yes, you read right, a life sentence!
A sentence reserved for murderers, rapists and heinous monsters of society is being requested, by some who seemingly hope will remain under the radar of thepublic's eye; for a first time, white collar, victimless offender.
 
This potential life sentence is unprecedented in the annals of America’s criminal prosecution. In many fraud cases akin to this one, but with greater dollar figures, the crime’s punishment were 1-5 years served, maximum. An additional fact, the family and community has applied many times, as late as this past Passover, to allow Mr. Rubashkin to be at his Seder with his 10 children, one of them an autistic 16 year old.
 
Although the community has offered millions of dollars of personal homes, many priceless Torah scrolls of its synagogues,
the hiring of a 24/7 security team at the community’s expense, to guard Rubashkin against flight, Passover bail was denied.
I, and thousands of others, know Mr. Rubashkin personally. His sole objectives of life are; his family, his community, and his track record of selfless charity. Mr. Rubashkin did not personally gain from even $1, due to this crime.
 
As American Citizens, you and I would like to believe that all of the above is simply untrue and could not be happening in our America.
I write these lines, for one sole reason, to sadly alert you to a nightmarish, wake up call; this is happening today, in America, in a very remote part of our country, to a fellow citizen.
Leading Jewish organizations, including The Simon Wiesenthal Center, have appealed to the Department of Justice for an investigation into the case. They have been rebuffed.
Former US Attorney Generals under several presidential administrations and former US Attorneys have written a letter to the Judge criticizing the requested sentence. A  former distinguished Federal Judge has written a similar letter to the court, pleading for common sense.  
 
Yes, my fellow Americans, the good old saying of "if it looks like a fish, and smells like a fish, it most probably is a fish," has come to bear in our time and under our watch.
Either we will stand by silently and allow this man to languish in jail, taking his life away and leaving his family fatherless, or we will stand for what makes this country glorious - Justice, Freedom, and Liberty to all.
 
Should you want to lend your voice to hundreds of lawyers from around the country and tens of thousands of fellow citizens who have petitioned the court, please visit www.justiceforsholom.com.
 
It is there where you will see the documented facts to that which I agree sounds too bad to be true, but factually is. Documented facts to something you and I think is an impossibility – and there must be “more to the story”- but, factually, there simply is not.
 
The Justice Department must be sent the message that America is a land whose citizenry will not tolerate a stain on the flag of stars and bright stripes, shining bright into the night.
 
Sentencing takes place this week, April 28, 29 in The Federal Courthouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The time for action is now.