President Donald Trump commuted the prison sentence of Sholom Rubashkin, a 57 year old father of ten, on Dec. 20. The action was motivated by bipartisan leaders throughout the political world. Politicians who supported the move include Nancy Pelosi and Orrin Hatch.

Senator Orrin Hatch's tweet in support of Trump's commutation of Rubashkin.

Rubashkin’s commutation is not a Presidential pardon. According to the White House, the commutation does not rid Rubashkin’s conviction. Rubashkin will now have to live under the terms of a supervised release and will have a substantial restitution obligation as well.

Trump’s move allows Rubashkin to be released from his original prison sentence 20 years earlier than planned. Rubashkin has served more than eight years out of his original 27 year sentence thus far. Many have called Rubashkin’s sentence excessive throughout the years because of its inconsistency with sentences for similar crimes.

Letter from the desk of President Donald Trump instituting the commutation of Rubashkin.

Rubashkin, a member of the Chabad Lubavitch movement, was convicted back in 2009 for bank fraud after a massive federal immigration raid in 2008 at the Agriprocessors meatpacking plant in Postville, Iowa. The raid led to the arrest of many undocumented workers at the time.

A year later, Rubashkin was charged with bank fraud and money laundering when he tried to sell the company that was on the verge of bankruptcy. In 2009, Hershey Friedman of Montreal purchased the meatpacking plant and rebranded it as Agri Star Meat and Poultry.

A bipartisan group of over 100 former high-ranking and distinctive Department of Justice (DOJ) officials, judges, prosecutors, and legal intellectuals have expressed concerns about the proceedings in Rubashkin’s case as well as the severity of his sentence. More than 30 current members of Congress have written letters expressing support for the review of Rubashkin’s case as well.

Former High-Ranking DOJ Officials Who Have Expressed Support for Review of Mr. Rubashkins Case:

Attorney General Bill Barr

Attorney General Edwin Meese III

Attorney General Michael Mukasey

Solicitor General Seth Waxman

FBI Director Louis Freeh

Current Members of Congress Who Have Expressed Support For Review of Mr. Rubashkins Case:

Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA)

Senator John Cornyn (R-TX)

Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT)

Senator Mike Lee (R-UT)

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY)

Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS)

Representative Yvette Clarke (D-NY)

Representative Mike Coffman (R-CO)

Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL)

Representative Eliot Engel (D-NY)

Representative Louie Gohmert (R-TX)

Representative Steve King (R-IA)

Representative Jerry Nadler (D-NY)

Representative Richard Neal (D-MA)

Representative Tom McClintock (R-CA)

Representative Tom Marino (R-PA)

Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)

Representative Bill Pascrell (D-NJ)

Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

Representative Ted Poe (R-TX)

Representative Jared Polis (D-CO)

Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL)

Representative Tom Reed (R-NY)

Representative Tom Rooney (R-FL)

Representative John Sarbanes (D-MD)

Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)

Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)

Representative Brad Sherman (D-CA)

Representative Albio Sires (D-NJ)

Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ)

Representative Nydia Velazquez (D-NY)

Shelly Greenstein - Forman

editor@sephardic.org

Shelly Forman is currently serving as editor-in-chief of Sephardic.Org. Shelly curates the content that comes through to Sephardic and makes sure that each and every article, video, and image on the site goes along with our amazing mission statement.