NY State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver Joins Call for Pollard Release

The Forward - August 20, 1999
From City Desk - by Seth Mnookin

Hikind to Hillary: Free Pollard. Silver Seconds the Motion.

State Assemblyman Dov Hikind is sending a letter to first lady Hillary Clinton exhorting her "to intervene with the president and the administration" on behalf of the American convicted more than a decade ago for spying on behalf of Israel, Jonathan Pollard. "If Hillary lobbied on behalf of Pollard, it would be a major coup on reversing a lot of negative (Jewish) feelings that exist on the Palestinian issue," Mr. Hikind said. Mr. Hikind was referring to Hillary Rodham Clinton's statements in support of a Palestinian state. "I am not making a commitment that I am going to support Hillary, but I would be very impressed if she would make this part of her agenda and part of her cause," Mr. Hikind said.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Democrat and Clinton supporter, said he is also pushing for Mrs.Clinton to advocate on Pollard's behalf, he said. The spokesman for Mrs. Clinton's exploratory committee Howard Wolfson, did not return calls seeking comment on the Pollard issue.

Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Mrs. Clinton's likely Republican rival for the seat vacated by Senator Moynihan, favors releasing Pollard. "The mayor has been clear on this for a long time, the head of Mr. Giuliani's political action committee, Bruce Teitelbaum, said. "He should be released."

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