Colman To Lieberman: Dramatic New Developments In Pollard Case

June 30, 2000

Senator Joseph Lieberman
United States Senator
706 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Senator Lieberman,

Two new dramatic developments occurred in the "Pollard affair" which prompted me to write urging you to issue a new "Lieberman letter" asking President Clinton to release Jonathan Pollard immediately.

The two new developments are the release of the "1987 Eban Report on the Pollard Affair" and the review by Senator Schumer of the classified Pollard file.

As you know, I have argued that Pollard was tried and convicted as an American but that he was sentenced as a Jew. Based on the new information, I am now convinced that Jonathan Pollard was tried, convicted and sentenced as a Jew.

Based on the two new developments, I do not believe American Jews are or will ever become first class citizens if we do not protest the treatment Jonathan Pollard received and if we don't insist that the double standard applied in the Pollard affair be rectified immediately. Based on the two new developments, you Senator, can no longer remain silent and allow your last word on this matter to be your signature on the infamous letter, which urged President Clinton to deny clemency for Pollard. If you remain silent you will be condoning unequal treatment under the law for a fellow citizen, only because he is a Jew.

The Eban Report reveals that Israel returned the classified documents that Pollard stole on the condition that they not be used as evidence against him. Agreements such as these are made very often and as far as is known, they are always abided by - except in this case of the Jew - Pollard.

Our government broke the agreement, used the documents as evidence against him and extracted a confession, a plea and a waiver of trial. As far as it is known, Pollard is unique in that he was sentenced for a harsher crime than he was accused of and sentenced for a much harsher crime than he plead guilty to.

When faced with these facts, opponents of clemency for Pollard always referred to a "classified" file and that "if we only knew what they knew" we would understand the apparent double standard.

Well, Senator Schumer reviewed this file and found that it did not contain any information which the rest of us did not have.

Senator Leiberman, the two new dramatic developments in the Pollard affair give you and all fair minded Americans who believe that American Jews are entitled to be treated as regular first class citizens in our country, the opportunity to review your positions and to do what is right. Tell President Clinton to let Pollard go.

Fifteen years of an undeserved life sentence is long enough.

Sincerely,
Sam Colman
Member of Assembly