Rubashkin Case Profiled In Israeli Press

As sentencing rapidly approaches, Agriprocessors' Sholom Rubashkin still has hope.

The Ynet article is in Hebrew.

PDF version:

Download Rubashkin Ynet Hebrew 4-2-10

[Hat Tip: Dr. Manny.]

Comments

[Yosef ben Matitya]

ah! it's in hebrew!

[OMG]

Here is the Google English translation

[REDACTED BY SITEOWNER. Here's the link:

http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.calcalist.co.il%2Flocal%2Farticles%2F0%2C7340%2CL-3400247%2C00.html&sl=iw&tl=en ]

[A E ANDERSON]

Ed Roberts, widely regarded as the inventor of the personal computer, died recently. A mentor of Bill Gates, Roberts fibbed a bit to obtain a bank loan for $65,000 that directly led to the production of the landmark Altair 8800 Personal Computer. But should he have been prosecuted, a la Rubashkin, for "bank fraud?"

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Roberts_(computers) in which the following excerpt appears:

"Roberts decided to return to the kit market with a low cost computer. The target customer would think that "some assembly required" was a desirable feature. In April 1974 Intel released the 8080 microprocessor with a quantity one price of $360.[21] Roberts felt the price of a computer kit had to be under $400; to meet this price he agreed to order 1000 microprocessors from Intel for $75 each.[22] Roberts did the circuit design and Bill Yates did the circuit board layout. The company was down to 20 employees and a bank loan for $65,000 financed the design and initial production of the new computer. Roberts told the bank he expected to sell 800 computers but he guessed it would be around 200.[23]"

We presume Roberts and his firm MITS ultimately paid off the "fraudulently" obtained bank loan. The personal computer became a worldwide success, and Roberts a footnote in the history books.

But it is clear that Roberts predicated his loan -- not merely the extension of an installment -- on blatantly inflated figures. Applying the logic of latter-day federal prosecutors in Iowa, shouldn't Roberts have been prosecuted and jailed for his misdeed rather than lauded for his business ingenuity?

I submit there are different standards at play when dealing with the archetype of White Anglo-Saxon inventor and that of alien, bearded, Hasidic Jew. It is in this difference, I believe, that the Rubashkin claim of anti-Semitism has merit.

[Sarah Silverman is my beshert!]

Reminds me a chabbadnic I know. One time he got a speeding ticket, so he complained that policeman who stopped him was anti-Semite . "There were all these shvartzes speeding even more than me but he decided to stop me"

[Yosef ben Matitya]

I believe, that the Rubashkin claim of anti-Semitism has merit.

could be, may be,
if he was jewish himself not a member of a freak sect mascarading judaism.

[R]

if he had paid back his bank loans he wouldn't be sitting in jail for them.
But please show some other similarity between Ed Roberts and Rubishkan.

[Shmarya]

Ed Roberts, widely regarded as the inventor of the personal computer, died recently. A mentor of Bill Gates, Roberts fibbed a bit to obtain a bank loan for $65,000 that directly led to the production of the landmark Altair 8800 Personal Computer. But should he have been prosecuted, a la Rubashkin, for "bank fraud?

Please.

What Rubashkin did was to manipulate his accounts receivable to maintain and extend a current revolving line of credit.

What Roberts did is overestimate initial sales.

What Rubashkin did is an automatic felony; what Roberts did may be or may not be a felony depending on how he did it.

Past that obvious fact, Roberts was not caught. If he had been, and if he committed a felony, he would have been charged.

Even on the simplest level, a normal human brain understands the difference between a crook who is caught and one who is not, between crimes that are different, and between 40 year old crimes governed by different laws that 2 year old crimes.

Think about that.

[Jay]

Overestimating sales isn't fraudulent. It can be a result of inexperience or blind optimism. The comparison is invalid.

It reminds me of an old Seinfeld episode. Uncle Leo was served a hamburger that was overcooked. He started ranting that the cook was an anti-semite.

[itchiemayer]

At my Yom Tov Seudah this afternoon, I was in the company of an out of towner who started talking about how Rubashkin has been treated unfairly. I believe he is guilty, but did the govt. go after him with more zealousness than anyone else similarly situated? If so, why? If not, why do people keep saying it? The guest at the meal referred to the blackhawk helicopters being used during the raid, etc.. I am sure this issue has been addressed months ago on here, but I cannot remember what was written.

[Mendel]

all I can say is thats the best man I ever meet in my life was sholpm rubashkin and his dad...just u c wars going 2 happen at the end of all this bullshit I'll c how good of a man he was.!!!!!!!

[Shmarya]

Itchie –

There were one or two government helicopters and one or two news copters.

The feds had to potentially arrest over 900 undocumented workers. To do that, a large number of law officers, vehicles and, yes, even a helicopter or two were necessary.

None of that is disproportionate or overkill.

[itchiemayer]

Is there any other raid to which we can compare?