BREAKING! Rubashkin Hires Former US Attorney As "Chief Compliance Officer"

In response to the massive immigration raid and ongoing investigations by state and federal agencies inot alleged illegal activities by the company, Agriprocessors today hired former Missouri U.S. Attorney Jim Martin to oversee the company's compliance with…

…"all applicable laws," as the Des Moines Register reports:

Agriprocessors hires compliance officer
By Grant Schulte • Register Staff Writer • June 5, 2008

Agriprocessors, Inc. in Postville has hired a former federal prosecutor to monitor the meat company’s compliance with state and federal laws, a spokesman announced today.

Jim Martin, a former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri, will serve as the company’s corporate compliance officer starting immediately, according to a news release. Martin heads the Prevene Group, a St. Louis firm that helps companies comply with laws.

“Agriprocessors’ 800 jobs are important to Postville and northern Iowa, along with the observant Jewish community across the country that relies on them for meat and poultry,” Martin said in the statement. “Agriprocessors can meet the needs of those who depend on the company and operate in compliance with all laws, and I intend to see that happen.”

The new hire came less than a month after federal immigration agents stormed the kosher meat-processing plant in what was later deemed the largest single-site raid in U.S. history. Nearly 400 illegal immigrant workers were arrested, and 305 were charged with immigration-related felonies.

The bust also exposed allegations of physical and verbal abuse by the plant’s managers, though none have been charged. The company announced May 23 that it planned to hire a new CEO.

Heshy Rubashkin, the vice president for Agriprocessors, said: “We are pleased to have someone with the integrity and credentials of Jim Martin join our team. Retaining Jim and his team is part of an ongoing effort to improve compliance and safety performance. We take responsibility to our employees, to Postville and to the observant community very seriously.”

Martin investigated white collar and corporate fraud cases during his 21-year stint as a prosecutor, according to his biography on the Prevene Group’s Web site. He recently was recognized in “Best Lawyers in America” for corporate governance and compliance law.

Agriprocessors also has begun interviewing candidates to fill its opening for chief executive officer, the statement said.

“Obviously, selecting the right person for this job is critical,” Rubashkin said. “We are moving with deliberate speed to make the best selection as soon as possible. Hiring a new CEO and retaining an outside corporate compliance officer demonstrates our company’s commitment to meaningful change.”

The Prevene Group is a subsidiary of Armstrong Teasdale, a large St. Louis, MO-based law firm.

Comments

[Carol Ann Varley]

Secular society does not have to depend upon Agriprocessors for its meat. Yet, seventy percent of products from animals slaughtered under religious ritual at Agriprocessors is sold to secular markets.

Will the former U.S. Attorney please explain why live slaughter is illegal for secular society yet the government allows meat from animals slaughtered under religious ritual to be sold to secular society?

Meat produced from animals slaughtered under religious ritual (Kosher and Halal) and sold to secular markets must be labeled for consumer choice and to protect separation of church and state.

[Susan]

It is sad that that company ever opened in the city of Postville for the reason that in NE Iowa the bedrock is very close to the surface, and with karst topography some water in a stream can end up going underground. Kosher meatpacking uses more salt than non-kosher meatpacking. Hector Creek which some wastewater was discharged into flowed into the Yellow River, but I think it was Hector Creek that was called a "dissapearing stream" as water could go underground. Groundwater was tested to be more saline due to this. When this was explained to one of their staff he was quoted as saying "if we discharged more water it wouldn't dissapear", showing he did not understand(situation since has been prevented with lagoons). The bedrock in Iowa tips downward from the NE corner of the state to the SW. The meatpacking plant in Tama, Iowa became available for purchase after the Postville plant was opened, this might have been a better location for Agriprocessors. I do not accept the Postville Jewish community's management of the Pinchas Lew and Phillip Stillman Sept. 1991 incident when clerk Maion Bakken was shot by Stillman in an attempted robbery at the Decorah Petro "N Provision store. The 357 Magnum bullet went through her kidney, liver, lodged near her spine. She was left with chronic pain and as of 2002 had never been paid any of the 1.4 million dollars awarded to her. they had robbed an elderly popcorn vendor of $70 in Ossian before travelling to Decorah. How much money is a popcorn vendor going to have with him? / I was frustrated in that Pinchas Lew could not possibly stay in an Iowa jail as they could not provide kosher food. Yet one of the two men had bought a meal in a Gentile Postville restaurant and one was buying a sandwich at Petro "N Provision (which may have been kosher food) at the time of the shooting. The Lubabavitch community put up $200,000 to post bail for Pinchas Lew yet no one offered any type of compensation for the Bakken family (that I knew of) for expenses not covered by insurance. I do understand that Stillman and Lew are not representative of your conservative Jewish community but the situation was frustrating when an older woman was left with chronic pain. I do hope that the individuals in Postville buying plane tickets to fly from Chicago back to Central America do not include any Agriprocessors supervisors. I wish to thank those in the Jewish community who have sent donations to Saint Bridgets or elsewhere for the families of those detained May 12th. One of the Ukrainian women detained had been working to raise money for her daughter to have brain surgery in Russia or Ukraine. Although wages may have been low this is a wonderful community for the immigrants to raise their children in. The Chicago area had only had one public school for Ukrainian-speaking students, neat the "Ukrainian Village" on Chicago between Western and division. Bars on storefronts because of crime. Instead of this people could work at Agriprocessors or the former Iowa Turkey Products in Postville and their kids could have ESL classes for Russian- speaking or Ukrainian- speaking students. Their small public library had a Russian- language and Spanish-language book/movie section and the city radio had Russian language and Spanish-language programming. The community worked together to publish the "Taste of Postville" cookbook with recipies from community menbers from many countries. Brent Grianna (spelling) led a program 6-8 years ago with soccer teams composed of people from many different countries in Postville. Students from Luther College and others tutored some immigrants in English. I think taxes Agriprocessors paid helped pay for some of this.

[jimmy]

lew is a rubashkin relative...

[yidandahalf]

To Susan: And whose taxes should have paid for it?

Once more I approach Shavuos appreciating how proud the Rubash-ins have made me to be a Jew. The whole world holds them up to compare to the rest of us. How pitiful we are compared to the charitable and pure Rubash-ins. Their goodness shines with an almost holy light. Why haven't we seen this til now? Somehow we must redeem ourselves.

Redeem ourselves???

It will be many a Rubashkin, G-d willing, who will have to do so, as they sit for many years in prison.

See post below from a sister thread:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"none of Agri's managers, administrators, or owners have been indicted or even charged ...."

Wait for it.
I understand that subpoenas were delivered to the Agriprocessor plant last week.
Don't rush, charges will follow.

The raid was not the end of a legal process, it was the beginning.

Remember there were 16 Federal and state agencies involved in the raid - they're probably all fighting among themselves to decide who has the strongest evidence and can bring the first indictment.

This whole episode is a tragedy for Jews, kosher consumers, kashrut, certifying agencies and most of all for the poor workers who suffered at the hands of the Rubashkins ... and now the US Government. It is a reflection of our own failure as a comunity to police the institutions of Jewish life and we should all be ashamed.
Yom Kippur is months away but it has been on my mind lately. Postville has given us an especially good reason to fast this year. There is much about which we as a community, need to reflect.

Posted by: state of the Jews | June 05, 2008 at 04:17 PM

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[Isa]

To Suzan:
What was the outcome of the robbers e.g. How many years did they get?
What WAS the starting wage for the 'illegals'
We hear 5.00/hour we also hear 8.50/hour

[rebitzman]

Martin has the credentials. You can argue that Rubashkin HAD to do this, but the point is that they DID do this.

Good hire - good move.

Now we wait.

[Yochanan Lavie]

6:33, Yid & 1/2 was being sarcastic.

[Archie Bunker]

I would guess that Martin is nothing more than a consultant who is being hyped as the CCO for public consumption. Genack is really brainstorming these days.

[Ariel Sokolovsky www.Moshiach.ws]

B"H

Secular society does not have to depend
upon Agriprocessors for its meat. Yet, seventy percent of products from animals slaughtered under religious ritual at Agriprocessors is sold to secular markets.

Will the former U.S. Attorney please explain why live slaughter is illegal for secular society yet the government allows meat from animals slaughtered under religious ritual to be sold to secular society?

Meat produced from animals slaughtered under religious ritual (Kosher and Halal) and sold to secular markets must be labeled for consumer choice and to protect separation of church and state.

Posted by: Carol Ann Varley | June 05, 2008 at 05:05 PM

Dear
Carol Ann

You seem to imply that your agenda is secular yet in your comment bellow on another blog you reveal that you are Christian and your agenda is anti Jewish and anti Muslim.
Can you please make up your mind what you are and what are you trying to achieve ands why?
And stop making lame arguments demanding treife meat label. There is no fundamental right to eat meat from an animal that wasn't slaughtered kosher or chalal and later found trefa or the like. It is not the business of the government to enforce your personal preferences. If you want that go start your own label or ask non kosher meat plant to sell meat labeled that way.

Carol Ann Varley Says:
21 April, 2008 at 4:51 pm

Consumers who disagree with religious Kosher or Halal live slaughter should be free to choose. Labelling will provide that choice. If meat is labeled Kosher or Halal for the observant to purchase, there should be equality in labelling to allow others the option not to purchase. Personally, as a Christian, I do not want another’s religious practice forced down my throat. The prohibition of drinking blood is a tenet in Kosher and Halal religion; however, Jesus Chirst came to end the practice of animal sacrifice. Communion service where we ‘eat of his flesh’ and ‘drink of his blood’ is a Christian tenet. Kosher and Halal ritual slaughter conflicts with Christian beliefs. For others, it may be a matter of conscious not to eat meat from animals who must endure the pain, fear, and suffering of a live slaughter. Labelling is a fair and just practice to respect the beliefs and values of everyone.
To see other comments by Carol Ann Varley on various other sites click here:
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22Carol+Ann+Varley%22&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1B3GGGL_enUS273US273

[Yochanan Lavie]

Communion service where we ‘eat of his flesh’ and ‘drink of his blood’ is a Christian tenet. Kosher and Halal ritual slaughter conflicts with Christian beliefs.

No, it is not. Communion consists of wine and wafers, not actual animal blood. According to Christian belief, the wine and wafer is miraculously transformed into the blood and body of Jesus either literally (transubstantiation; Catholicism and Christian-Orthodoxy) or symbolically (consubstantiation; Protestantism). This only takes place if one believes in the miracle, Christians hold. There is no "mitzvah" to literally consume blood, nor a prohibition against Christians eating meat prepared w/o blood.

[uncle joe mccarthy]

Dear Carol Ann.

do you believe in the "kosher tax" too?

do you also check all foods stuff that you buy to make sure that it doesnt have kosher certification?

[state of the Jews]

Hiring a former Fed as Chief Compliance Officer is an interesting move.
It remains to be seen however if it will protect the Rubashkin's from charges that cover whatever the Feds find about past issues at the firm - labor law violations, extortion, bribery, sexual abuse, tax issues,drugs, guns, etc.
Nothing like closing the barn door after the horse has left.

[yidanahalf]

Rebitzman: Spot on. How long do you think their tango will last?
Isa: have you read "postville - a clash of cultures"?
Susan: The world's smallest ukrainian violin story. no one comes here illegally to pay for brain surgery. the 'patient' back in the ukraine ( ah... the good old days when things got sucky you could throw a pogrom...) would be long dead by the time the boat landed.
REVEREND ariel: you could work the nerves of a goddamn mummy. calling someone anti-muslim? YOU? i can't believe this came from you. you should have your tongue cut out for such accusations. JESUS, who cares? And as for Miss Varley being an anti-semite, I can tell you this is completely untrue. Once again you mis-read, misunderstand, and then obfuscate the issue of labelling that Miss Varley has put forth. SO I WILL RUN IT BY YOU AGAIN. ( And by the way, I simply cannot afford to send you any more chronic so quit asking. Drink some beer or something. )
The methods of slaughter as practiced by 'ko$sher' and halal slaughterers is not allowed in the United States for normal non-religious ritual slaughter ( shackle and hoist and sawing back and forth three and four times and subsequent dressing can be seen in media available to the public if you care to look ) as these methods violiate the Humane Slaughter Act. So therefore how are we to tolerate the meat from such slaughter being sold to non-kosher and non-halal markets? At the least for the time being, the non-ritual slaughter consumer should be aware of what he or she is buying. A simple label would cost far less to the consumer than a phony hechsher and government involvement would by virtually nonexistent after a law requiring the relevant labelling was put into effect. I notice you only complain about more laws and government involvement but not the taxes that such things bring about. Since you are a religious parasite, you don't pay any taxes. LONG LIVE THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE as we know it!

[yidandahalf]

It's 'buyAgoy' day here in the marketplace of America. Smart move, no surprize. Buy a goy, buy a hechsher, sell a social security number - what's the big deal? The Rubash-ins can do whatever they like; they have proven they are above the law, any law, be it Jewish or secular. And if things get sticky, a little 'tea' money works wonders. But will the Golden Goy be able to do anything about the matter of tarfus? And how long will this arrangement made in hell last anyway?
Step up you lovers of rubash-in, can you add any insight into these points? Nah...of course not. Kinda outside your comfort zones, right boys?

[Carol Ann Varley]

I speak from two perspectives:
1) my personal religious beliefs; and
2) U.S. public policy.

In the New Testament Christ said all food is kosher; the soul is not harmed by what goes into the stomach but the thoughts one puts in the mind.

Labeling is important for consumer choice for both religious freedom and the secular ideal of keeping religion off one's plate.

There is no need to defend myself against accusations of anti-semitism or anti-Muslimism because people will believe what they want. However, if I can be labeled then so can meat!

[Carol Ann Varley]

The Christian communion ritual is symbolic: bread (or wafers) and grape juice (or wine) represent the flesh and blood of Christ's sacrifice.

Unlike Jewish and Muslim dietary laws, there is no Christian dietary law which prohibits blood in meat. Blood is drained from the animal after secular slaughter; however, the stricter kosher processes of salting and/or broiling are not required.

[rebitzman]

>>Rebitzman: Spot on. How long do you think their tango will last?<<

Until this guy is fired.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Carol Ann: My point was, it is not against the Christian religion to consume kosher or hallal meat, so no Christian's freedom of religion is being harmed. If you don't want to consume meat that prepared that way (and declared non-kosher, or non-hallal for some other reason) due to humanitarian considerations, that is your right. It is important to clarify what your reasoning is.

Personally I think kosher slaughtering can be humane if done properly. Rubashkin doesn't seem to care. There are those who disagree with me on this, too. That is their right. (Jewish vegans are an example of loyal dissenters).

I am not accussing of anti-Semitism or Islamophobia, but throughout history inhumane individuals have shed crocodile tears over kosher slaughtering, when their real motive is to stick it to the Jews, not help the animals. I am not imputing that motive to you, but I can understand why some would.

As it says in Tanach, "They kiss calves and kill men." In the spirit of Rev. Wilberforce, I am against cruelty to man or beast, even though I consume meat.

[Carol Ann Varley]

I used to consume kosher hotdogs. Hebrew National is the #1 selling hotdog in America and I'd eaten plenty of them. I once worked at a place where kosher meat was served. I did not attach any religious significance to meat. In March 2008, I met someone who worked in a slaughterhouse where religious slaughter was done. I had always understood livestock in this country were stunned insensible to pain prior to slaughter. It was a shock to learn about live slaughter. I also learned non-kosher meat from religious slaughter is sold to the general public. Then I watched a film hosted by Johnathan Safram Foer and saw the 2004 and 2007 videos of shechita performed at Agriprocessors. They were the most brutal scenes of animal abuse I had ever seen. When I realized I'd bought meat from secular markets which do business with Agriprocessors, it felt as if my hands were dipped in the blood of those animals. Since then I have been unable to eat meat.

Since my understanding of public policy was livestock are supposed to be stunned first, I should have been informed about live slaughter. My neighbor, a member of the reformed movement, did not know kosher was a live slaughter. It is a fact not generally known to the average consumer. While it is not against the law for Christians to consume Halal or Kosher meat, the products are labeled and the choice is theirs. But when meat derived from religious slaughter is sold without a label, it is misleading. For that reason I advocate open labeling.

This entire experience has caused a spiritual re-awakening in me. The early Christians were Jews who were jailed and killed by the Romans for their beliefs. There must have been something very powerful in the teachings of Rabbi Yeshua (Jesus Christ). He spoke out against Orthodox traditions and one of the things he said was what goes into the stomach does not harm the soul; it is the thoughts in one's heart and mind that damage the soul. Those ideas were radical, even revolutionary, at the time. Thank G-d I live in a country where religious freedom is protected by Constitutional law. My religious roots are planted in the soil of Israel. But to say kosher does not impact upon Christian beliefs is untrue. My beliefs and practices are different from the Orthodox Jewish faith and Muslim faith. The beliefs of all religious faiths must be respected. That said, religious rituals of other faiths should not be foisted upon anyone in this country without the knowledge to consent.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Hebrew National is more humane than rubbishcan. Most historians believe that Jesus was a normative Jew who did not believe he was the messiah, did not believe in his own divinity, and did not want to change halacha. Those statements attributed to him were added later. Paul is the one who broke with Judaism. But it's a matter of faith.

[Carol Ann Varley]

YL, it's always a matter of faith.

It's interesting to note that Orthodox Jews and some Conservative Jews won't buy Hebrew National because it's not 'glatt' kosher.

I can find writings in the Old Testament on clean and unclean animals but where in scripture is glatt kosher?

[Carol Ann Varley]

YL, I enjoy reading your posts because they are both entertaining and educational. Your knowledge base is expansive and impressive.

In terms of the history of Jesus Christ, I have one reference source: the New Testament.