(AUDIO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)
During a recent radio show appearance, former New York Governor David Patterson discussed President Donald Trump’s commutation of Shalom Rubashkin’s 27 year prison sentence. To the amazement of the hosts, Patterson exclaimed “I actually worked on this case,” explaining he had recommended former President Barack Obama commute the sentence but was denied.
Patterson told WOR’s Len & Todd show he had not known President Trump had commuted the sentence, but was “very happy to hear this,” as he believes Rubashkin’s sentence was 3 times what prosecutors had requested, and 9 times what ‘it was supposed to be.’
He also explained there was some alleged illegality in the sentencing, as Federal Judge Linda Reade was accused of discussing the case with judges at the Appeals Court, before whom the sentence was to be appealed.
Patterson, a Democrat, later reiterated Obama had point blank said “NO” to his recommendation, despite what he believes was a ‘strange’ sentence, “way, way, way beyond what it should have been.”
Patterson served as governor of New York between 2008 and 2010, assuming the position after Governor Elliot Spitzer resigned in disgrace.
It is interesting to note, Barack Obama ended his presidency having granted clemency to more people convicted of federal crimes than any chief executive in 64 years. But he also received far more requests for clemency than any U.S. president on record, largely as a result of an initiative set up by his administration to shorten prison terms for nonviolent federal inmates convicted of drug crimes.
Overall, Obama granted clemency to 1,927 individuals, a figure that includes 1,715 commutations and 212 pardons. That’s the highest total for any president since Harry S. Truman, who granted clemency 2,044 times – including 1,913 pardons, 118 commutations and 13 remissions – during his nearly eight years in office, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of Department of Justice statistics.
Clemency refers to multiple forms of presidential mercy. The two most common are commutations, which completely or partially reduce sentences for those in prison or on community supervision, and pardons, which forgive past crimes and restore civil rights. Two less-common forms are remissions, which reduce financial penalties associated with convictions, and respites, which are temporary reprieves that are usually granted to inmates for medical reasons.
Of course, Obama received such a large number of clemency requests in part because his administration asked for them. Under a program launched in 2014 known as the Clemency Initiative, the Justice Department encouraged “qualified federal inmates” – as defined by DOJ criteria – to apply to have their prison sentences commuted. The initiative led to a surge in requests and also helps explain why Obama’s use of clemency tilted so heavily toward sentence commutations, rather than pardons.
In his record use of commutations, Obama reduced sentences for federal inmates who were convicted in all 50 states, according to analysis. Among those who received reduced penalties were 568 individuals serving life sentences and two who had been sentenced to death.
It may never be known why Obama chose to grant freedom to hundreds of drug dealers because of “excessive sentences,” yet refused to allow Sholom Rubashkin out of prison for the very same reason – accompanied by extensive bi-partisan support.
(Nat Golden – YWN)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
27 Responses
Rasha
Wor 710 the Morning show with len berman
Because Obama was anti-Israel And anti – jewish!
Obama (yamach shmo) released thugs that “looked like his son” because he is a racist. He also released American tractor and pervert Bradley Manning because they share the same political and moral views.
Obama, is a שונא ישראל!
Obama, the Jewish People have a long memory. We’ll remember you for who you really were, a Hater of the Jewish People and The State of Israel!
Btw, why doesn’t you use your influence and go back to your people and empower them to get out of the projects and lead productive lives, instead of flying around on multi-billionaires private planes.
@smfg3 and @baylasheva Obama gave more $$ from the USA to Israel than any other president EVER. The hatred that @appleface is showing here seems like your screen name should be changed to applepieinyourface. @appleface would you not accept the offer of flying on private planes if given the opportunity? I would.
Obama was in it for his name, legacy and his future public speaking circuit. He set himself up perfectly for it.
Barak HUSSEIN Obama
Please remove this RACIST story immediately! I don’t want Ezra Friedlander to get all bent out of shape. He already told us (in his Op-ed below) that we are NEVER allowed to criticize a Democrat. And besides, we don’t want to alienate Obama. We might need him some day.
“It may never be known why Obama chose to grant freedom to hundreds of drug dealers because of “excessive sentences,” yet refused to allow Sholom Rubashkin out of prison for the very same reason – accompanied by extensive bi-partisan support.”
Here, let me tell you why. Simple! Obama yemach sh’mo v’zichro is a druggie (said so himself!!!!) and had to free his supply chain.
Gee I wonder why..obama had an intense hatred for Netanyahu and Israel and the Jewish people..Hussein Obama went all around the world especially to the arab countries, apologizing for America. It simply didn’t suit him to do the right thing..On the other hand,contrary to all the libs negativity out there, President Trump is a good guy, and behind his tough exterior is good and decent man.
Obama deserves our respect and gratitude. Obama freed Alan Gross from Cuba. Obama instructed his justice department to allow Pollard’s parole to go ahead and be approved unopposed. Obama saved the Israeli Ambassador to Egypt from a riot at the Israeli embassy.
Rubashkin is not the only Jew in the world and Obama’s refusal to commute his sentence does not make him an antisemite. At least Obama did not call people chanting “Jews will not displace us” at a Neo Nazi rally “fine people”. At least Obama didn’t lie and claim not to know who Davi Duke was.
And BTW where was the outpouring of love and hakoras hatov for Bill and Hillary Clinton when Bill commuted the sentence of the New Square Chasidim?
yes, Obama was the worst president we have seen in many years. A great appearing and good speaking man, but underneath he was a anti-semite. He let out drug pushers to continue their prey on others, yet Rubashkin was a loud and clear “NO” to him.
May his legacy be tainted forever as the investigation into Hizbullah and Iran begins to come to light.
When Obama campaigned in Iowa he made a veiled reference to Rubashkin as a criminal. You would think it unbecoming for a presidential candidate to make a remark about a local case. BUT, HE WAS PLAYING TO THE UNIONS> that’s all it is about guys.
Barak Obama is out of office. Reb Sholom Rubashkin is out of prison. Baruch Hashem. Why harp on what Obama did or did not do? Will anything be accomplished by bashing him? Do people think that a Democrat will never again sit in the White House?
crazykanoiy , RE: “At least Obama didn’t lie and claim not to know who Davi Duke was.” Obama (yamach shmo) lied and claimed that he did not know anything about Jeremiah Wright bigotry, antisemitism and black racism. Racist is a racist, Nazi is a Nazi no matter if it is David Duke or Jeremiah Wright.
crazykanoiy
Alan Gross? He was arrested in December 2009 (near the start of Obama’s administration), allegedly because of so-called heightened tensions between U.S. and Cuba. It took 25 days before a U.S. representative even visisted him.
The family hired P.R. firm to embarass the U.S. government into action (“the trial wasn’t about him. It was about USAID and U.S. policy towards Cuba” etc.)
Then the family sued. Even the NYT backed the family. It took 5 years.
And you are giving the credit to Obama without mentioning any of this, including that, at the very least, the blame belongs to Obama as well.
sammydoesit
You make it sound like Obama gave his own money. It was Congress who allocated the funds. As much as he may have personally hated the idead, he still needed Congress to pass legislation so he had to throw them a bone.
@georgeg – you are mistaken. He could veto any bill from congress on funding if he wanted to. In this case he approved an Increase year over year. He should be treated with respect. He may have made some poor decisions (Iran deal, rubashkin, speaking to Egypt & im sure more) to us, but to him and his aides seemed like a good idea.
He approved more $$ going to Israel than ever before so he should be treated with hakaras hatov for that. He did not murder innocent jews for just being jews. He SHOULD NOT be given the “yimach shemo” or “rasha” titles that people here give him.
The “more $$ going to Israel than ever before…” and the “He did not murder innocent Jews…”. Is this logic referring to the money that was part of the Iran laundering/nuclear deal? Will there be a question or issue as to what Iran will do with those weapons that have nearly no “break-out” time to develop?
You just listed the reasons to call him a rasha.
sammydoesit , please do not try to put “lipstick on a pig”. it will not work.
Lets also realize that our major concern these days is North Korean nukes and not Iranian ones. We can thank President Obama for removing the Iranian nuclear threat for the time being. You don’t have to trust me you can just read the assessments of IDF chief of staff Gadi Eizenkot who has stated publicly that thanks to the Iran nuclear deal the threats from Iranian nukes is no longer the primary security concern for Israel.
sammydoesit
Nothing you wrote indicates any mistake in my post. The facts are that Congress allocates the funds and that Obama needed Congress to pass his initiatives (neither item is contradicted by anything you wrote), so the logical inference indeed is that he was trapped by the situation to let the funds pass. That is why I wrote the latter to show why Obama did not veto the funds. Obama was already under a cloud for such things as his Jeremiah Wright connection, so he was trapped. But he still manipulated unprecedented strings to those funds.
and yet all those self appointed askanim many affiliated with Aguda went to Obamas Chanukah party just like Yidden went to Achashverosh party. What will Friedlander say or spin this time?
Hey wait a second! are you guys discussing that wimp who used to live in the White House?
clown
Because drug dealers are blacks, Obama’s favorite constituency, whereas Rubashkin is a Torah Jew, Obama’s least favorite.
Sammy,
“Obama gave more $$ from the USA to Israel than any other president EVER.”
While I do agree Rubashkin wasn’t exactly a case of Obama’s Antisemitism, but PLEASE do NOT use the $ as anything less than Obama trying to cover himself up.
His very last two acts really indicated and showed Obumma’s TRUE colors, he back stabbed Israel in the UN and hours before he left office, all he can think of was how to stab Israel again and release the PA funds.
You got to be a naive fool to fall for that $ to Israel…