Jacob Ostreicher Update: Can Congress Get the State Department to Step Up?

I am relieved that so many of our friends and other elected officials have gotten involved with Jacob Ostreicher's case. Congressman Chris Smith from New Jersey is currently in Bolivia advocating for Jacob and Congressman Bob Turner appeared with Miriam Ostreicher on Fox News this morning to discuss yesterday's hearing in Bolivia which was, unfortunately, postponed yet again. You can watch that Fox News report here.

Congressman Bob Turner and Congressman Chris Smith discussing Ostreicher situation before Congress

"Jacob Ostreicher, husband, father and grandfather has been unlawfully imprisoned in Bolivia for nearly a year, without being charged," Congressman Turner told Congress's Foreign Affairs Subcommittee last week. "He lives in a ‘prison town’ where the guards monitor the exterior but, internally there is no supervision – a condition which puts Jacob in fear for his life daily.  He needs medical attention, but has repeatedly been denied it."

My office is in constant contact with Miriam Ostreicher as we maintain our commitment to bringing Jacob home as soon as possible. Toward that end, we have arranged addition meetings with more elected officials for Mrs. Ostreicher over the next week, which will be announced as they occur. The point in all of these meetings is to have other elected officials adopt the Ostreicher's cause as their own--just as we have. And, sooner than later, see the State Department do the same.

A Hateful Racist Like Barron is the Last Thing NYC Needs

A number of my fellow elected officials met this morning along with former Mayor Ed Koch to address the press regarding our shock and dismay over Charles Barron's candidacy.

It has been made very clear that Charles Barron is unrelentingly racist and hateful. From his rabid attacks on whites and refusal to salute the American flag to his endless rhetoric about Jews and Israel, Barron proves again and again that his is a voice of divisiveness, a dying breed that sane New Yorkers no longer care to hear from.

Front row: Assemblyman Steve Cymbrowitz, Councilman David Greenfield, former Mayor Ed Koch, Assemblyman Dov Hikind, Congressman Jerrold Nadler and Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein

NYPD: Please Reconsider Fishel Litzman

Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and I released joint statements today regarding the candidacy of NYPD recruit Fishel Litzman, who was dismissed from the force because of his beard, which he maintains in accordance with religious beliefs.

Fishel Litzman

I have always vocally supported the NYPD and the sensational job they do. This is one instance where I think a misinterpreted technicality is getting in the way of doing the right thing. Fishel Litzman joined the police academy with a beard. He continues to wear a beard not as a preference of style but rather out of respect to his religious tenets. Here in New York City, we respect cultural diversity and this is a terrific opportunity to express that respect. Litzman’s beard won’t stop him from performing his duties effectively and efficiently. I call on the NYPD to reconsider Mr. Litzman’s candidacy for the police department.

"The NYPD does a tremendous job protecting our city, but it has done itself a profound disservice by disqualifying Fishel Litzman," said the Public Advocate. "By many accounts, Mr. Litzman is one of the most impressive candidates in his class, and should not be barred from serving on account of his religious observance. We can only maintain the best-qualified police force in the world if we evaluate candidates like Mr. Litzman on their merits. I urge the Department to reconsider his candidacy."

Charles Finkelstein For Civil Court Judge

I am supporting Charles Finkelstein for Civil Court Judge. Charles is highly qualified. Have a look at his new website here.

World Committee for Israel, Politicians and Community Leaders Call on President to Release Pollard

New York, NY – The World Committee for Israel, a non-profit group dedicated to advocating for the Jewish State and Jewish people around the world, will join with elected officials and community leaders this Sunday, June10 at 1 p.m. on the steps of City Hall to call on President Obama to commute Jonathan Pollard’s sentence and release him from jail.

Assembly members Dov Hikind, David Weprin, Philip Goldfeder, Michael Simanowitz, and Congressman Bob Turner will stand with Jewish activists such as Dr. Joe Frager and Rabbi Elie Abadie to demand an end to Mr. Pollard’s long incarceration. The event is timed in conjunction with a visit from Israeli President Shimon Peres to accept the Medal of Freedom from Obama next week, at which time Peres may raise the release of Mr. Pollard.

Pollard was imprisoned 24 years ago after pleading guilty to one count of releasing classified information – a crime for which the median sentence is only 2 to4 for years. Israeli advocates have repeatedly called for his release on the grounds that his sentence is unduly harsh, his health is failing and he has expressed genuine remorse for his actions.

ABC NEWS: SUSPEND BARBARA WALTERS FOR UNSEEMLY PAYBACK OF AL-ASSAD AIDE

BARBARA WALTERS' ILL-GOTTEN INTERVIEW WITH AL-ASSAD WAS BAD ENOUGH; COLUMBIA PLACEMENT FOR AIDE ADDS INSULT TO INJURY

Today I called on ABC News to suspend Barbara Walters for her unethical behavior in paying back Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s aide for her assistance in securing an interview with the dictator.

I have followed the recent revelation of Walters’ ill-gotten interview with al-Assad with what I can only describe as profound disgust. That the Fourth Estate has devolved into entertainment and sensationalism is nothing new, but the fact that ABC—whose legacy includes such stalwart and respectable TV journalists as David Brinkley, Hugh Downs, Ted Koppel, Howard K. Smith, and Harry Reasoner—could allow Walters to get away with the most loathsome, unethical behavior is the very saddest of statements on the current state of TV journalism. How does one negotiate with the devil?

Walters scored her interview with al-Assad—a man responsible for the murder of over 5,000 civilians and protesters—as a result of assistance from al-Assad’s aide Sheherazad Jaafari, the daughter of the Syrian ambassador to the United Nations. Her subsequent softball interview with this mass-murderer allowed al-Assad to shrug off in front of Walters’ audience any responsibility for the slaughter of thousands.

The U.S. State Department described al-Assad’s denial of responsibility for the murder of thousands of innocents as "ludicrous". But adding insult to insult, Walters then used her considerable influence as an ABC power-wielder to recommend Jaafari for a position at CNN and attempted to get the young woman placed into a Columbia University program.

When these actions were discovered, Walters issued an apology. But Walters isn’t sorry for her sordid display of ethical bankruptcy. What Walters is sorry for is that she was caught.

The questions that remain unanswered are what else is Walters sorry for? What else has she promised—and to whom?

In a letter today to ABC News President Ben Sherwood, I explained that I understand that TV journalism must be entertaining to maintain its market share and provocative to maintain its appeal, but it should also be honest in both its gathering and presentation.

This repugnant incident of Walters’ should not be so easily swept under the rug. ABC should take responsibility for their employee. Barbara Walters should be suspended.

The Orthodox Union Joins Fight for Jacob Ostreicher

Michael Cohen (NY State Political Director, OU), Rabbi Steven Burg (OU’s Managing Director and International Director of NCSY) and Assemblyman Dov Hikind

The Orthodox Union (OU) is one of the largest and most important Jewish resources. Over the last few days, I've had exceptional meetings with Rabbi Steven Burg, the OU’s Managing Director and International Director of NCSY; Michael Cohen, the OU’s NY State Political Director; and Nathan J. Diament, Director of the OU's Institute for Public Affairs. The OU is fully committed to helping Jacob Ostreicher, adding the weight of the 800 synagogues and many affiliates that they represent across America to this vital issue of freeing an innocent man. Their voice will be an important addition to the choir crying for Jacob Ostreicher's release.

It has been one year and four days since Jacob was taken prisoner in Bolivia. A petition to the White House, demanding President Obama’s attention to the issue, has more than 35,000 signatures. In addition, a Congressional Sub-Committee to address Ostreicher’s Human Rights violations is scheduled for tomorrow at 10 a.m.

This is not a Jewish issue. This is an American issue. This is about a U.S. citizen that’s being held hostage and we cannot afford a message to the world that U.S. citizens have no value. Our government must step in.

Ed Towns Endorses Charles Barron: A Bad Dream or Insanity?

It is outrageous that retiring Congressman Ed Towns has endorsed the infamous Charles Barron. Barron’s resume of race baiting and contemptible anti-White statements should disqualify him as someone worthy of public office.

Ed Towns has either gone mad or this is a terrible joke. Ed knows what Barron is all about. Our communities have stood with Ed through thick and thin and now he’s destroyed his legacy by endorsing someone who is as radical as they come? Someone who hates Whites? It’s a shock and an embarrassment.

I’ve always considered Ed Towns a friend and now he’d stabbed us in the back. Barron’s statement that he’d like to slap the nearest white person is just one example of the kind of person that Towns is inviting into Congress. Barron wrote an editorial praising Muammar Gaddafi. He refuses to salute the American flag. The list of his radical antics goes on and on. This is the type of person Ed Towns wants as a lawmaker? It’s either a bad dream or its insanity.

Miriam Ostreicher & Special Agent Moore (and Bill de Blasio too) on "The Dov Hikind Show"

Miriam Ostreicher and Steve Moore (Special Agent FBI, retired) will be our special guests this Saturday evening, motzei Shabbos, on "The Dov Hikind Show" at 11pm - WMCA, 570AM.

Mrs. Ostreicher and Special Agent Moore will discuss intimate details of Jacob Ostreicher's situation and what's being done to free him.

We will also be joined by NYC Public Advocate Bill de Blasio.

Jacob Ostreicher: One Year and Counting

It has been one year today since Jacob Ostreicher was put in a Bolivian prison. He has still not been charged with a crime.

We continue to gain allies in the fight for Jacob's freedom. My good friend Congressman Bob Turner is meeting with Miriam Ostreicher this Sunday.

Next week, there is a Congressional subcommittee hearing on the matter.

There are nearly 33,000 signatures on the petition asking the White House to intervene on Jacob's behalf. If you haven't signed the petition yet, we urge you to do so by clicking here.

I will continue to report on our progress until we are victorious.

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SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING NOTICE

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20515-0128

SUBCOMMITTEE ON AFRICA, GLOBAL HEALTH, AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Chairman

May 30, 2012

You are respectfully requested to attend an OPEN hearing of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights, to be held in Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building (and available live via the Committee website at http://www.hcfa.house.gov):

DATE:                       Wednesday, June 6, 2012

TIME:                        10:00 a.m.

SUBJECT:  The U.S. State Department’s Inadequate Response to Human Rights Concerns in Bolivia: The Case of American Jacob Ostreicher

WITNESSES: Ms. Miriam Unger
Wife of Jacob Ostreicher

Ms. Chaya Gitty Weinberger

Daughter of Jacob Ostreicher

                                   

                                    Mr. Steve Moore, Special Agent - Federal Bureau of Investigations (Retired)                                         

HIKIND ASKS ATTORNEY GENERAL TO PROBE BROOKLYN COLLEGE ANTI-SEMITISM

press release

May 31, 2012

Contact: Yehudah Meth                                                       For Immediate Release

                718-853-9616 (office)      

    973-945-4903 (cell)

MANY ADDITIONAL WITNESSES PREPARED TO COME FORWARD

Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) has asked Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to look into accusations of anti-Semitism at the highest levels of Brooklyn College. The Assemblyman says that although CUNY promised to independently investigate charges made by Brooklyn College staff that Provost William Tramontano demonstrated a pattern of racial discrimination against faculty and job candidates, what CUNY delivered was anything but independent.

“CUNY’s internal investigation was a sham,” said the Assemblyman. “The atmosphere of intimidation at Brooklyn College continues and the fear of retaliation is very real to staff. But many additional witnesses will come forward for the Attorney General.”

Last month, Assemblyman Hikind, along with 20 fellow lawmakers, contacted CUNY Chancellor Matthew Goldstein asking him to address what they considered a pervasive pattern of anti-Semitism at Brooklyn College originating from the Provost’s office. Among incidents cited, Observant Jewish faculty candidates were denied employment opportunities at the college despite the highest recommendations from the College’s Appointment Committee; promotions were denied to Orthodox Jews while given to far-less-deserving staff members; and biased language unbecoming of a staff member was attributed to Tramontano. In one case, Tramontano blocked the hiring of a highly qualified Orthodox Jewish woman recommended by his own committee with the words, “I already gave you a Miriam.”

“I am overwhelming disappointed by CUNY’s inability to address this matter honestly,” said Assemblyman Hikind, himself a Brooklyn College graduate. “It’s clear that a probe from the Attorney General is called for. With their identities protected by the Attorney General, many witnesses who have kept quiet until now are eager to offer evidence of what’s going on at Brooklyn College.”

STRATEGIZING WITH DE BLASIO AS 27K+ SIGN PETITION TO FREE JACOB OSTREICHER

press release

As the one-year anniversary of Jacob Ostreicher’s questionable incarceration approaches, Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) continues to lead the charge for his constituent. Yesterday, the Assemblyman met with NYC Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and Ostreicher’s wife Miriam to continue strategizing as more than 27,000 signatures filed a petition to the White House to intervene for the U.S. citizen who is being held in a Bolivian prison.

Miriam Ostreicher, Dov Hikind and Bill de Blasio discuss Jacob Ostreicher's situation

“Jacob Ostreicher’s life continues to be a living hell,” said Assemblyman Hikind. “In just a few days he will have been trapped for a full year in the Palmasola Prison in Bolivian where daily conditions are deplorable and it’s difficult to maintain one’s faith. But faith is what I told Jacob he must continue to cling to. Despite the injustice of his situation, the dangerous environment surrounding him and the weakness brought on by his hunger strike, Jacob Ostreicher must stay strong just as we must remain diligent in our efforts to free him. Fortunately, we’re beginning to see an increased effort on the part of our elected officials for Jacob.”

Over the last few weeks there have been public efforts not only from Council Members and Assembly Members but also from U.S. Congress Members, as well as Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. Yesterday, de Blasio made his commitment to Mrs. Ostreicher clear.

“Miriam Ostreicher and her family are in terrible distress because of Jacob Ostreicher’s situation,” said de Blasio. “This situation can not be allowed to drag on and on. In my capacity as Public Advocate, I am reaching out to all of the people that I have relationships with in the U.S. Government and asking for their help.”

After a year without justice, a year without being charged with a crime, Ostreicher has been promised a hearing on June 11 by the Bolivian government.

“These promises have been made and broken before,” said the Assemblyman. “Regardless, my staff, colleagues and I remain committed to seeing justice for Jacob Ostreicher. And I will continue to report on our progress.”