Nathan Lewin: Obama Agriprocessors Statement "Shocking"

Nathan Lewin simultaneously served without disclosure both as Agriprocessors' attorney and as Agudath Israel advisor, lobbying the USDA for changes to Humane Slaughter directives. One of those changes only benefited Agriprocessors – permission to do a "second cut." The only thing shocking here is that Lewin still hasn't been disbarred.

Here's the full quote…

…courtesy of the JTA:

"This is a shocking statement from a former president of the Harvard Law Review and former constitutional law professor who has sworn, as a United States Senator, to uphold the Constitution which prescribes a presumption of innocence until guilt is proved beyond a reasonable doubt," Lewin's statement said.

What Obama said.

Comments

[pulitzer4shmarya]

I think Nathan Lewin is losing his stature in the Jewish community by continuing to defend Agriprocessors in the press. Everyone is entitled to an attorney in a court of law, however he is acting as a public relations advisor instead of a constitutional lawyer in court which is his specialty.
He has served for many years as the pro-bono defender of many Jewish causes. In this case, however, he is not doing this pro-bono, and his reputation is getting besmirched by taking on questions of Halacha and reputation for payment. All of his years of service to the Jewish community will be forgotten because his moral compass has been distorted by the pull of the dirty money of the Rubashkins.

[Anon]

Lewin has a point. I would expect that someone running for President of the United States would verify facts or at least allegations before making statements about a private company or at least acknowledge that these are allegations that have been made and give rise to concern - not statement them as fact. Time may prove that Obama's statement was appropriate but there is not yet sufficient basis to assert that.

[Archie Bunker]

At the very least Rubashkin has been found guilty with previous rounds of safety violations.

[Paul Freedman]

I'll leave of my table-thumping (promise) but I still believe this is all the noise of the orchestra tuning up--Iowa looks well on the way, and can Fed participation be far behind, of dropping the other shoes here. Politicians being who politicians are, if Iowa presses ahead the civil environment will become more sharply hostile for AgriP and Lewin and/or Lubinsky's statements will have progressively tangential effect on real-life outcomes here in the United States of America vis a vis AgriP's viabiliity.

[pulitzer4shmarya]

Nat Lewin in his defense of Rubashkin is doing something extremely stupid.
He is challenging the possible future president of the U.S. to find his client guilty.
I don't see how his client can win that one. Even if eventually Rubashkin is found innocent, (doubtful), the full weight of the U.S. attorney will be thrown at this case.
Lewin has to remember this is not a court of law, and presumptions of innonence do not apply here to the same extent. People want a story, a victim, and a villain. Rubashkin is the villain of this story, even if eventually he can get away legally.
Lewin is smart in that he just tripled the amount of hours he can bill Rubashkin, although if he was smart, he would not take his time billing.

[Sam]

Shmarya,

Could you tell me how you know that Nathan Lewin did not disclose the potential conflict to both parties. I doubt that you found any such information from either Agri or Agudath Israel...

[steve]

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080826/NEWS/80826022&theme=POSTVILLE_ICE_RAID

Obama spokeswoman Jenni Lee said today that he stood by his words.

“Sen. Obama reiterated the fact that there have been a lot of questions raised by federal authorities about Agriprocessors’ hiring practices and workplace conditions,” she said. “He very clearly stated that a critical part of fixing our broken immigration system is holding accountable companies that break the law. That’s exactly what he’ll do as president.”