Some members of Postville’s Jewish community say a recent federal court ruling involving a former Agriprocessors CEO is religious discrimination.
Sholom Rubashkin continues to sit in the Dubuque County Jail as he awaits trial on federal charges related to the May immigration raid. Last week, a judge denied bail, calling Rubashkin a flight risk. Some say Rubashkin was denied bail because he is Jewish.
On Sunday, Dec 28, dozens of Jews from around eastern Iowa and mostly the Postville area came outside of the jail to say they want to see equal rights for Jews.
The demonstrators set-up a menorah outside of the Dubuque Law Enforcement Center where the jail is housed Sunday afternoon, on the last night of Hanukah.
“Today is the 8th day of Hanukah. Hanukah is a festival of freedom, of lights, and it’s supposed to celebrate freedom from oppression,” organizer Amy Dickel said.
The demonstrators say Sholom Rubashkin is being oppressed, held because he is Jewish.
“The Bill of Rights is being totally violated here. To be held, not given bail simply because you’re Jewish is wrong. Simply,” Dickel said.
Prosecutors say part of Rubashkin’s flight risk is Israel’s “law of return”, which says all Jews can be granted Israeli citizenship if they aren’t a public threat. But demonstrators here say Rubashkin has no more direct connection to Israel than any other Jew and is not a flight risk.
“He’s no more of a flight risk than you or I. Over 30 families offered to put up their houses as collateral in addition to an entire bail package up to ten million dollars,” Dickel said.
Organizers say this demonstration is not about Agriprocessors or just about Rubashkin; it’s about equal rights for all Jews.
“If one U.S. Attorney in one state in one town can say, ‘all Jews are a flight risk simply because they’re Jewish”, because we have the Right of Return to become a citizen in iIsrael, then what does that mean for Jews everywhere?” Dickel said.
Organizers of the demonstration say they hope this raises awareness of people around the country about what is happening here Iowa.
In explaining Rubashkin’s flight risk, the judge said when Rubashkin was out on bail for other charges two months ago, agents found travel bags of cash and passports packed in Rubashkin’s home.
Rubashkin’s lawyers maintain he would stay in Postville and say they plan to appeal the decision.
(by Jamie Grey, MidwestAGnet.com / KWWL)
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YWN Editorial: A Miscarriage of Justice!
December 17, 2008
As the mind boggling details of the biggest financial swindle in history continue to unfold, we learn today that the alleged perpetrator, Bernard Madoff has been granted conditional bail by a NY Judge.
The judge in the fraud case has set new conditions for his bail, including a curfew and ankle-monitoring bracelet for the disgraced investor.
Madoff remains free on bail, with his wife and brother serving as co-signers for his bail package. A hearing had been scheduled for Wednesday in which Madoff was required to find two additional co-signers to vouch for him.
For those following another case close to home, Sholom Rubashkin of Agriprocessors fame is still languishing in jail unable to convince an “impartial” judge to grant him bail. A hundred co-signers would step forward in a minute and dozens of friends and family have already offered their homes as collateral in return for Rubashkin’s release. The Judge has so far deemed Rubashkin a flight risk for his potential misuse of the “right of return law” an Israeli law granted to any Jew who wishes to immigrate to Israel. This inexplicable ruling has never been used in such settings according to legal observers.
Rubashkin’s legal team (reported here) had repeatedly offered an overwhelming bail conditions package to convince the judge, including 24 hour armed guards with arresting capabilities, ankle bracelet monitoring, and significant financial guarantees to ensure Rubashkin remains in the States, but to no avail. Many in the legal community have expressed their worst fears that this unprecedented mis-application of the “right of return law” against a Jewish defendant, originally designed to protect the life of the persecuted, is now being used by a Judge as a means to deny a Jew their legal rights under the US constitution. We at YWN believe this may be the worst form of reverse discrimination we’ve ever seen.
Let us understand what is happening here in the United States of America in the year 2008.
It appears, one Mr. Madoff the architect of the scheme that has financially ruined hundreds of families and has potentially wiped out numerous not -for- profit’s has been set free conditionally, while the same purported legal justice system albeit in Iowa, refuses to allow bail to a identifiably religious defendant in a far less destructive legal entanglement. It appears Madoffs swindle is so huge it makes the Enron heist look like child’s play. Why the double standard?
Is Rubashkin being held to the highest unattainable standard to use him as an example?
The misuse of legal authority and the miscarriage of justice is simply too stark to ignore.
Where is the outrage from our community?
How can American Jurisprudence be so starkly different in Iowa vs. NY?
YWN calls on the entire Jewish community to create a firestorm of support for the terrible situation the Rubashkin family finds themselves in.
We do not cast judgment for or against in the Postville case, that is for the courts to decide. However, on the merits of the case and with compassion, we simply call on reasonable people of mercy and honor, to protest the flagrant abuse of power currently being imposed in Iowa. Irrefutable history has show, that accused murderers, rapists and thieves received bail for far worse heinous crimes. It is outrageous and un- American to deny Shalom Rubashkin his legal right of bail simply because of his religion. Free Rubashkin.
(YWN Desk – NYC)
while Bernie Madoff goes about his daily affairs this ehrlicha yid languishs in jail
madoff can sit at home. but rubashkin is a flight risk? ISREAL can’t protect itself because babies are being wounded, but rockets can come in by the hundreds why? why are all stations showing pictures of babies being injured? , its prob. fake just to instigate all people against isreal. why didn’t u.n condemn the rockets the last couple of months? why are they aloud to kill themselves and childrennnnnn for suicide bombers but when isreal comes in its human rights? galus we better start buckling up and get ready for moshiach.
How can I show my support from England? Can you perhaps post a phone number of the relevant courthouse/Govenor? Thanks
This stinks of anti-semitism. The US justice system is breaking down all over the place. Is anyone aware of a petition that can be signed on behalf of Rubashkin?
Can we get a contact number, address or other means to vocalize or disconcert with this precedent? Why haven’t we heard from the Agudah on this? Where is their Amicus Curae now?
are there people in the middle east who are wanted for trial in this country?
perhaps the people protecting wanted criminals overseas are the culprits here. Not the judge. and not anti-semitism.
when we as a nation of G-d fearing people keep the torah, including lo sa’amod al dam reyacha… Hashem will hear us.
Apparently we still have work to do in the area of justice for all… among our own.
Tzion B’mishpat tipadeh, v’shaveha bitzdaka.
Bimherah Biyamaynu.
Does the prosecutor and/or judge have to be re-elected? If so, public opinion might help here.
To #7 – while there might be people wanted by the US who are safe in the middle east, they are not in Israel. Israeli law is very limited as who it protects AND these must be tried in Israel and may be required to sit in an Israeli prison. So, don’t look at Israel. Rabbi Rubashkin would not be eligible for Israeli trial anyway, as he is not now an Israeli resident. This is pure rishus, with no mitigating factors.
aryehm.
I wish you were right.