Editorial: Postville, 5 Years After

"It’s important not to forget that the abuses and illegal behavior that had been taking place in the Agriprocessors plant were well known and publicly documented long before the 2008 raid. If the government had intervened earlier — if inspectors had been working to uphold safe and honest labor practices in the state, if the U.S. government had established a humane and practical immigration policy — then there would have been no need for the man-made disaster that overwhelmed Postville five years ago today."

Agriprocessors during the raid

The Iowa Press-Citizen writes:

…[I]t’s important not to forget that the abuses and illegal behavior that had been taking place in the Agriprocessors plant were well known and publicly documented long before the 2008 raid. If the government had intervened earlier — if inspectors had been working to uphold safe and honest labor practices in the state, if the U.S. government had established a humane and practical immigration policy — then there would have been no need for the man-made disaster that overwhelmed Postville five years ago today.

Holding companies accountable continues to be the best way to ensure that businesses aren’t allowed to continue with “business as usual” when it comes to abusing workers — documented or undocumented — without fear of significant reprisals for those who profit from such abuse.

But the laws were not enforced, in large part because the Bush Administration had decided not to enforce them against any big or mid-sized agriculture business.

USDA FSIS inspectors had their hands tied by Washington. Food safety and humane slaughter laws were frequently left unenforced as a result.

At Agriprocessors, USDA FSIS inspectors took to playing cards and computer games in their office rather than do their jobs, because whenever they actually did their jobs and reported problems, their regional supervisors reprimanded them.

The Department of Labor was given a large amount of evidence against Agriprocessors but failed to investigate – until it heard that a different part of the government, ICE, that had Bush's backing, was planning a massive immigration raid at Agriprocessors. Then the DoL begged ICE to postpone the raid so it could "finish" the investigation it had so mishandled.

ICE didn't wait.

Its raid uncovered Agriprocessors' double payroll, the different colored checks for documented and undocumented workers, the forced overtime, the theft of worker's salaries, and so many other horrors – including dozens of child workers.

If the DoL had done its job – or of the State of Iowa had done its – all these abuses could have been stopped years earlier.

Agriprocessors was a hell hole where approximately 75% of the workforce was undocumented – and exploited.

But in the end, all the federal government really cared about was criminalizing and penalizing the undocumented workers and then later convicting Agriprocessors VP and manager Sholom Rubashkin for the massive bank fraud conspiracy he ran to both keep Agriprocessors' lenders in the dark about the company's rapidly worsening financial situation on one hand and looting the company of millions of dollars on the other.

Rubashkin laundered Agriprocessors' money through local Jewish charities he controlled and apparently through Chabad charities in New York, Minnesota and elsewhere.

His 27-year sentence is draconian. Unfortunately it is also legal and fits perfectly within the range set down in the US Sentencing Guidelines – guidelines that desperately need to be changed.

But that does not change Rubashkin's guilt or his delusional arrogance, and it does not wipe away the stain on Judaism caused by him and by his extended family.

From repeated EPA violations, from trying to throw local elections, bribing Postville's mayor, intentionally committing the worst violations of Humane Slaughter law in modern US history, to the abuse of workers and so much more, the Rubashkin family has done more to damage Orthodox Judaism in America than anyone or anything else ever.

And the worst thing about this five year anniversary is that five full years have passed, and not one Rubashkin has taken responsibility for any of this. They have not made restitution. Not one of them has honestly and forthrightly apologized to their victims or to anyone else.

And standing with them, enabling their craziness and their crimes, are the masses of haredim, Chabad  hasidim and Chabad and haredi leaders, the blind leading the blind ever closer to the edge of the cliff.

In a way, the legacy of the raid is that it never really ended. The former workers still suffer. Rubashkin's many victims still suffer. And Rubashkin's supporters are still oblivious to it all.

It is a bitter day in Postville. It is also a bitter day for people everywhere who care about what it means to be weak and powerless in America and at the mercy of men like Sholom Rubashkin and George W. Bush.

Recent related posts

Chabad Charities That Allegedly Laundered Millions Of Dollars For Agriprocessors Must Repay Only Thousands

Rubashkin Fundraising Continues

Rubashkin Launches Australian Fundraising Campaign With Major Chabad Endorsement

A Shavuos Message From Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin

Agriprocessors' Trustee's Attorney Tries To Quash Chabad Alleged Money Laundering Story

Rubashkin Family Fundraising Email

Deported Agriprocessors Worker Arrested After Reentering US

LA Kosher Meat Scandal Deepens

Comments

[I can't think of a name yet]

How the hell did George Bush get involved in this? That's almost like saying the US Ambassador in Libys died because of Barack Obama not doing enough to protect the Benghazi Consullate, and then covering up for it in what may turn out to be the larger coverup in US history.

[Just Curious]

Excellent piece, incisive and well-written.

But equating former president George Bush with convicted felon Sholom Rubashkin in the last sentence... Bit of a stretch, don't you you think?

As you might say, Shmarya, "please."

[Jeff]

"USDA FSIS inspectors had their hands tied by Washington. Food safety and humane slaughter laws were frequently left unenforced as a result."

This goes back to Reagan's budget cuts and the decimation of their department. If people knew what goes on at these slaughterhouses, everyone would become a vegetarian for health and safety reasons alone.

PBS' America Reframed is rerunning a documentary this week that aired earlier in the season, about the immigration aspects of Postville:

http://worldchannel.org/programs/episode/ARF-s1-e10-abused-postville-raid/

[Yochanan Lavie]

This site is depressing because our black hatted cousins never learn from their mistakes , so all we get is reruns.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Happy Mother's Day to our maternal readers of FM.

[Jeff]

"This site is depressing because our black hatted cousins never learn from their mistakes , so all we get is reruns."

It's a toxic mixture of denial, cognitive dissonance, psychopathy, lousy education, probably a higher-than-average incidence of cognitive and developmental disabilities (probably exacerbated by inbreeding), but above all - an unshakeable, all-consuming conviction of their own rightness.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Jeff: "like"

[Jeff]

Or maybe their hats are just too tight!

[WoolSilkCotton, I am a work of art as well as a sports and rock superstar]

Jeff, YL, I agree.

[mack]

Once again, Jeff's panties are in a knot.

[Lakers]

"Latin American immigrants apparently provided Agriprocessors with hundreds of false identification cards. Upon acquiring a job, many employees then would help family members and friends to get jobs at Agriprocessors. Several U.S. citizens from Iowa who worked at Agriprocessors were married to illegal aliens who worked in the plant. Agriprocessors manager Nicole Miller was married to an illegal alien: she somehow infiltrated the HR department and is presumed to have helped more illegal aliens find employment at Agriprocessors."

Read more: http://justiceforsholom.org/the-story

[R. Wisler]

Hmm Lakers,
Totally at odds with what was published in books and court documents on this subject. Which is true?

[Lakers]

'court documents' from judges and jury's of his peers, yes

'Books' anyone can write a book it does not mean it is true.

[Jeff]

"Once again, Jeff's panties are in a knot."

Or perhaps I'm simply forcing you to face the reality of your world, and you can't stand it.

[WoolSilkCotton, I am a work of art as well as a sports and rock superstar]

R. Wisler, don't you realize that anyone can write court documents and books based upon facts and evidence.

It takes a Torah True Jew to lie, forge, and cheat, all for the holy cause of Chabad, and to continue to cover up for their uber-hero Rubashkin.

[Rocky]

For decades, the US has pretended to enforce its immigration laws and the illegals have pretended to obey them. What does Judaism have to do with the Postville mess, other than the fact that Rubashkin happened to be Jewish? He could have been Catholic and operating a large lettuce farm near Salinas, CA. Once upon a time, Salinas and the rest of the Southwest used to be part of Mexico. My house sits on what used to be a Mexican land grant (rancho).

You can blame George W. for a lot of the problems the US is now facing, but I don't think Postville is one of them. Maybe today's children will be able to fix the country's many problems when they become adults, or maybe not. We have a Republic, if we can keep it. Many Americans, from Hasidics to Evangelicals, would prefer to have a theocracy. There is no assurance that the American Republic will not go the way of Weimar Germany.

[Lubavitchers are Christians]

Rocky,
If you are afraid that the American Republic might go the way of Weimar Germany, make sure more and more Americans have guns. Hitler's first act was to ban gun ownership, which allowed to exert total control over the populace.

Do you really think all German citizens agreed with Hitler's actions? Of course not! But they had no more guns after Hitler confiscated them, and they were powerless to stop him.

If (or when) another Hitler is voted in to power in the US (just like Hitler was voted in), you can be sure one of his first moves will be to ban gun ownership. Hopefully, the America people will defend their Constitution.

[98gayway]

All these black hatters should die. I would love if they all disappeared.

[mack]

""Once again, Jeff's panties are in a knot."

Or perhaps I'm simply forcing you to face the reality of your world, and you can't stand it."

What world would that be? I'm not Hareidi. Sorry to disappoint you. The only difference between your posts and those on the White Power websites is that you substitute Hareidi for Jew. Otherwise, I don't see much difference.

[Jeff]

"What world would that be? I'm not Hareidi. Sorry to disappoint you. The only difference between your posts and those on the White Power websites is that you substitute Hareidi for Jew. Otherwise, I don't see much difference."

[Yawn]

[Eli]

hmm all these "if's" but the blame squarely where they truly belong. Om the shoulders of the US government. All SMR did was give jobs to those that wanted/needed them, and applied for it. He did not force anyone to work for him against there will.
his financial fiasco, was also a result in large part of the US government destroying his business, and in desperation he did what he did. I would not like to have walked a mile in his shoes, and I challenge any reader of this blog to have acted otherwise under the same circumstances.

[SideComment]

To cite @Jeff,

"...a toxic mixture of denial, cognitive dissonance, psychopathy, lousy education, probably a higher-than-average incidence of cognitive and developmental disabilities (probably exacerbated by inbreeding)."

I do object to your use of the word "probably"

[dh]

Geez, Eli eli r. You are way too stupid to be free. Please just tell us what you want to go away.

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

@Lubavitchers are Christians "Do you really think all German citizens agreed with Hitler's actions? Of course not! But they had no more guns after Hitler confiscated them, and they were powerless to stop him."

Yeah, this isn't a distortion.

In 1938, under Nazi rule, guns became more relaxed. To wit: rifle and shotgun possession were deregulated; gun access for hunters, Nazi Party members*, and government officials was expanded; the legal age to own a gun was lowered.

However, Jews, were prohibited from owning firearms and other dangerous weapons.

Pro tip: Stop listening to talk radio and get a library card.

*Just over 12% of the German population were Nazi Party members

[s]

instead of making parents of young children who started work at 9a.m. work until 1a.m. (mandatory overtime) I did not understand why they did not set limits on the amount of animals they would start processing in one day. This statement on hours worked is on a youtube video interview of some families now in Calderas,Guatemala.

[Chabad Chossid]

I am a Chabad Chossid and I do not support SMR. There I said it. Our community has disgracefully propped up this felon as a model of judiasm. Ultimatly, this will cause the downfall of Chabad. The Rubashkin Criminal Enterprise has more than 5 convicted criminals within the family. How many does your family have? Nuff said.

[Jeff]

>Posted by: Chabad Chossid | May 13, 2013 at 1:53 AM

I appreciate your honesty. It must be hard for you to be one of the few in your community who feels as you do.

[Lakers]

'I am a Chabad Chossid and I do not support SMR'

I'm also a Chabad chosid and I don't either support Sholom Rubashkin for the financial fraud he has committed such as inflating his invoices, not paying the cattle dealers on time, however I agree with more then 80 former and current judges, prosecutor's and former attorney generals (who have spoken and are outraged as far as 2012) that 27 years for FINANCIAL fraud is unjust, yes there is a problem with the guidelines.