Clinton Rebuffs Jewish Leaders ... Again!
JTA - March 23, 1999
President Clinton's chief attorney rejected a meeting
requested by representatives of the organized Jewish community, who want to plead for the release of Jonathan Pollard. The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations was instead invited to present a written argument to Charles Ruff on Pollard's behalf. During last October's Wye peace talks, Clinton agreed to review Pollard's
life sentence,
which was imposed for spying on the United States for Israel.
Justice For Jonathan Pollard Adds:
Sources within the Conference of Presidents have confirmed that the request was made for a meeting with the President himself, not with his legal counsel. Not only did the President rebuff the Jewish Community leaders by refusing to meet with them, but his chief legal counsel added to the indignity by refusing to meet with them as well.
A similar request made by Jewish leaders Eli Weisel, Alan Dershowitz, and Edgar Bronfman to meet with the President to plead for the release of Jonathan Pollard was also turned down. The trio received a similar backhand as well when they were told to address their concerns to the Justice Department instead.