Sympathy for the Jackoff?

David Klinghoffer published this attempt at a defense of Jack Abramoff in the Los Angeles Jewish Journal last week.

Now, as I believe I've made clear before, I think Abram Jackoff is a terrible blot on the Jewish community in more ways than I could ever count, so I wrote this response:

It's all very well for Klinghoffer to quote Torah law in assessing Jewish anger towards Jack Abramoff, but he should at least get his facts straight. The rabbis teach that a unanimous verdict demands reconsideration, not outright dismissal, and then only in capital cases. Neither death nor dismissal applies here.

By all means let's give Abramoff the benefit of the doubt, acknowledging his generosity and repentance. Let's not, however, simply forget what he did, which involved more than just fraud. He undermined American democracy at a time when we are allegedly spreading it worldwide, while proclaiming his devotion to Jewish ethics.


To quote another Torah law, we leave an executed criminal's body hanging until sundown, then respectfully remove it. Until then it remains in plain sight so that all may see and be afraid to sin.

In view of that principle, it's a little early for the kind of instantaneous forgiveness that Klinghoffer wants, particularly considering Abramoff's utter failure to correct himself until caught.

You better believe that sort of hypocrisy is a desecration of God's name. Praise Abramoff if you must, but cut the breast-beating about how the Jewish community abandoned him. He abandoned it long ago.

Benshlomo says, He that will not follow the law in good times may not excuse himself by it in bad times.