Steve Neavling

Three rabbis and seven others are accused of trying to force Orthodox Jewish men into agreeing to divorce their wives, CBS New York reports.

They allegedly conspired to kidnap and use cattle prods to get the men to agree to divorce their wives.  Under Jewish law, a person must obtain what’s called a “get,” a legal Jewish document, for a divorce to become official. But a husband must agree to give a “get” for the divorce to be official.  In some instances, the men refuse.

The suspects were arraigned in a New Jersey federal court.

“The charge is kidnapping and extortion. Violent crime to get Jewish men to give divorces they wouldn’t otherwise get. It’s not really an exercise of religion. It’s really about money and violent crime,” U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman said.

wsbtv.com

Atty. Gen. Eric Holder Jr.

Dear Colleagues,

This ongoing shutdown continues to be a very frustrating time for all of us who work for the Department of Justice and those who provide services on contract. I remain particularly concerned about the impact the shutdown continues to have on all of you and your families. Unfortunately, because we are unable to predict when it will be resolved, we are not able to allay all of your justifiable concerns.

In an effort to answer as many questions as possible, we have updated material under the “Information for Employees” section of the Department’s homepage. There you will find information about pay, ethics issues, employee assistance programs, unemployment compensation, and the Department’s contingency plans.

I also want to reiterate how important each and every one of you is to the Department of Justice’s mission. To those of you who are excepted from furlough, thank you for continuing to work through this difficult period, even though most of you are doing so on an “IOU” basis. To those of you who are furloughed, I wish you were on the job furthering the mission of this great institution, instead of wondering when you will be able to return to work and if and when you will be paid. Please understand that I believe every Department employee, whether excepted or furloughed, is essential to ensure that justice is served on behalf of the American people.

As we await a resolution of this shutdown, we will continue to provide information to you as quickly as possible. Please continue to check the Department homepage to receive the most up-to-date information for employees.

Thank you for your service to the American people. I look forward to see you all back on the job again soon.

Sincerely,

Eric H. Holder, Jr.

Steve Neavling

The U.S. isn’t doing enough to pressure Mexico to find the man who kidnapped and tortured a DEA agent after officials released him from a Mexican prison, Fox News reports.

“Enrique ‘Kiki’ Camarena was a decorated agent, his death long forgotten if not for his killer’s recent release and Mexico ignoring our extradition request,”  Fox News correspondent William La Jeunesse said. “This raises questions about what the U.S. is, or isn’t doing, to find him.”

Camarena was abducted in 1985 and tortured for three days.

Mexican drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero and others crushed Camarena’s skull, used a cattle prod and drilled a hole into his head.

“Only U.S. pressure can make Mexico act,” Jeunesse said. “Right now, they don’t see it.”

OTHER STORIES OF INTEREST

• FBI Raids Houston Nightclubs for Potential Human Trafficking
• FBI Has Been Investigating U.S. Rep. Fattah for Up to Seven Years
• Ex-Chicago Cop Gets 22 Months for Stealing From FBI Informant
• Drug Dealers on Silk Road Call for Revenge Against Feds
• Secret Service, Capitol Police Officers Pulled Off Streets During Shooting Probe