SAN DIEGO — I have more than a few questions about the conduct of the tax fraud case in which Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein is being recommended for probation, rather than a prison sentence, notwithstanding the fact that his pattern of illegal conduct reaches back several decades.
U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer has said that Goldstein’s help in getting five other people to plead guilty in schemes to defraud the government was one reason for the recommendation of probation. Another, he said, was the exemplary way that Goldstein acted after his synagogue, Chabad of Poway, was the subject of an armed gunman’s attack that left Lori Gilbert Kaye dead and wounded three people, including Goldstein.
If you remember, Goldstein was invited to the White House after the shooting, where he was congratulated by President Donald Trump. And he subsequently appeared before the United Nations General Assembly to talk about combating hate. He also traveled abroad to spread his message of peace in other countries, all ostensibly with the help of the U.S. State Department.
So here’s what doesn’t add up. The U.S. Attorney’s office executed a search warrant on Goldstein’s home, office, and bank deposit box about six months before the attack on Chabad of Poway, by a gunman whom authorities allege was John T. Earnest.
Almost immediately after those searches were conducted, Goldstein agreed to cooperate with the IRS and the FBI in their investigations — which are still continuing — of other people who defrauded the government via a scheme in which they claimed to be making tax-deductible charitable donations to Chabad of Poway, but in fact were receiving 90 percent of their money back from Goldstein, who kept 10 percent for himself.
So, at the time the White House invited Goldstein to be congratulated by President Trump — and a subsequent meeting between the two men last September when Trump visited San Diego — the U.S. Attorney’s office was well aware of Goldstein’s criminal behavior.
The question is: Did the U.S. Attorney’s office in San Diego inform either the U.S. Attorney General or the White House that Goldstein was a person under criminal investigation? If not, why not? And if the U.S. Attorney did in fact inform either the Attorney General or the White House about Goldstein’s criminality, why was a meeting with the President of the United States permitted? Normally, anyone under such criminal suspicion would be kept as far from a U.S. President as possible!
I asked the U.S Attorney’s office these questions, and received from Kelly Thornton, the director of media relations, this answer:
“Our office followed its regular process of DOJ notification. Any questions about the event should be directed to the White House.”
I responded to Thornton with another question: “Can you tell me what the ‘regular process of DOJ notification’ is. That will help me with further inquiries.”
She answered: “Sorry — we don’t publicly discuss our internal processes.”
Stonewalled.
Thornton’s initial response also covered my question in the same letter concerning whether there had been any discussions among the U.S. Attorney’s office, the Attorney General and/ or the White House about what sentencing recommendation should be made in this case.
I wondered given President Trump’s embrace of Goldstein whether he had any recommendations about what should be done with him.
I’m trying now to get an answer from the White House about what its staff knew about the Goldstein case before the rabbi was feted at the White House and before President Trump met him again in San Diego.
I’m also interested in learning why Goldstein ostensibly retired as spiritual leader of Chabad of Poway in November 2019 — more than a year after his home, office, and bank deposit box were searched. Why not before? Why then?
Perhaps this column might stir some answers to all these questions. Anyone with information is invited to contact me via editor@sdjewishworld.com
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Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com
Following received from Ina Cantor:
I have been a longtime follower and fan of your newspapers and articles.
Today I read your article in Times of San Diego, regarding Rabbi Goldstein of Chabad of Poway.
I am outraged by the statement and decision of Robert Brewer to recommend no jail time for Rabbi Goldstein. I find it shocking that a “religious man” can be forgiven the sins against his community and the country. Rabbi Goldstein is a criminal and should not receive a “get out of jail free” card. He should go to PRISON.
How dare he meet with The President of the United States, while knowing he is going to be indicted.
We believe Chabad does excellent work in the community and this will have dramatic impact on not only Chabad of Poway but on all Jewish Fundraising organizations.
If you know of a group who will be in contact with the US Attorney, Robert Brewer, Emily Allen, lead prosecutor,Omer Meisel, Acting FBI Agent in charge of San Diego and the judge who will be decided the final outcome, would you kindly include me. If you have their email addresses would you please email them to me.
Thank you Don, for all of the fine work you do keeping the Jewish community informed.
Ina Cantor
San Diego Jewish World, Times of San Diego, East County Magazine, and The Moderate Voice trade stories under the auspices of the San Diego Online News Association. The article concerning Rabbi Goldstein was published by all four of these news organizations. — Donald H. Harrison
Following received from Kenneth Trestman:
I have a better Question
After defrauding monies from tHomeLand Security from being used for the Synagogue Security but rather used for personal benefit which ultimately led to a breach in the safety of the congregation on that last day of Passover and the killing of an Innocent Woman
Why did the DA office overlook this and choose rather to focus on the Rabbi’s actions that the Rabbi with great opportunity chose to improve his case for not going to Jail
Which ultimately became the case
I disagree with the analysis that the White House knew about his case but it is possible that the President did know by the time he came to san diego
Maybe this is the reason why the True Heros in the synagogue incident were invited to the White House for Chanukah
What is true and why is not necessarily what we have been shown and told.
You are thinking outside the box as a good newsman should. Most no longer do.
The questions about Goldstein, reasonable and necessary, are crossing the boundaries of accepted P.C. of what those in control wish us to see.
The underneath question is why. The path could lead to an uncomfortable why answer.
What if you extended the same thought process about the Coronavirus and how it has been medically and politically handled? For example, the one truth above all truth we were told we must accept is, flatten the curve or millions upon millions will die. The medical system will collapse.
At the worst of the worst, the medical system was not overwhelmed. The opposite happened.
Ask… ask. Were we told the truth or were we told “a truth” for other reasons.
Your Goldstein questions, raises the question…question.
Keep digging, keep thinking outside the accepted boundaries.