Shalom Lamm and his alleged co-conspirators deserve their day in court; an indictment isn’t a finding of guilt. If FBI charges against them prove true, however, the real losers won’t be those charged. 

The dramatic recent rise in the number of hate crimes and groups reflected in FBI and Southern Poverty Law Center data speaks for itself; fewer reasons, assuming any remain, are needed for many people to hate those they perceive different from themselves. The history of anti-Semitism, in particular, needs no review, a point we can assume Mr. Lamm was well aware of when filing his own charges not long ago in federal court against local jurisdictions for discriminating against Hasidim. 

If it is borne out that, while around the same time, he and the others illegally conspired to manipulate the election process for their personal financial gain, who can be blamed for assuming with equal confidence that Mr. Lamm took advantage of one of the darkest periods of human history to advance his own agenda? Worse still would be his own contribution to lowering the bar further—assuming that’s possible—for those seeking easy targets for their hate.

I do hope Mr. Lamm and the others are found innocent of such despicable acts. If not, let the weight of law be sufficiently heavy. No deals.

The only bright spot in the sad affair is the knowing the FBI and our federal prosecutors have our backs. 

Dave Colavito
Rock Hill, NY