Rare Contributor
President Donald Trump used his presidential power to commute the first prison sentence for a federal prisoner of his presidency Wednesday when he commuted the sentence of Sholom Rubashkin.
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Rubashkin, who was the former CEO of the United States’s largest kosher meat-processing plant, was convicted in 2009 and sentenced to 27 years in prison for financial crimes, according to The Hill.
His sentence commutation had bipartisan support due to the length of the sentence compared to the crime. Leading voices in the legal community had petitioned both the Obama administration and the Trump administration.
“The President’s review of Mr. Rubashkin’s case and commutation decision were based on expressions of support from Members of Congress and a broad cross-section of the legal community,” the White House said in a statement.
“A bipartisan group of more than 100 former high-ranking and distinguished Department of Justice (DOJ) officials, prosecutors, judges, and legal scholars have expressed concerns about the evidentiary proceedings in Mr. Rubashkin’s case and the severity of his sentence. Additionally, more than 30 current Members of Congress have written letters expressing support for review of Mr. Rubashkin’s case.”
RELATED:Â Trump pardons former Sheriff Joe Arpaio
Rubashkin had served eight years of his 27-year sentence, and although he will be released from jail early, his conviction is being upheld as will the terms of his release and his obligation to make restitution payments.
The father of 10 was the CEO of the country’s largest kosher meatpacking plant located in Iowa. In 2008, the plant was raided by federal authorities, and he was found guilty of bank fraud and money laundering. In addition to Rubashkin’s arrest, hundreds of his plant’s employees were arrested for being in the country illegally.
Leading legal voices petitioned President Trump, asserting that his sentence was far too long for the crimes committed.
“Essentially, Mr. Rubashkin was convicted of fraud offenses stemming from inflating collateral to obtain a higher line of credit for Agriprocessors, his father’s kosher meat business, and for paying some cattle owners 11 days late,” the attorneys wrote.
“Mr. Rubashkin is a devoted husband and father, a deeply religious man who simply doesn’t deserve a sentence of this length, or anything remotely close to it,” the letter continued. “Indeed, his sentence is far longer than the median sentences for murder, kidnapping, sexual abuse, child pornography and numerous other offenses exponentially more serious than his.”
Although this is President Trump’s first prison sentence commutation for a federal prisoner, he did pardon former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio after he was convicted of criminal contempt.
