In response to Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky (“On Remembering Sheldon Silver, z”l) in the February 3 edition: Rubashkin’s crimes were minuscule, as business crimes go. To the contrary—the government’s crimes in persecuting and prosecuting and punishing him were directed and biased. It is the government that needs to be held accountable.

As far as Assemblyman Silver is concerned, unfortunately, this is common behavior for politicians. In fact, the kickbacks are really beside the point. The real sin is the burden he and other politicians artificially put on private individuals and companies through their legislation like the ones that involved kickbacks, particularly asbestos removal. He was not alone in this. So many other politicians participated. Politicians like Cuomo have done significantly worse. Silver’s crimes are insignificant in comparison.

Peter Schweitzer’s books about the Bidens’ (“Red-Handed: How American Elites Get Rich Helping China Win,”) and Clinton’s extreme crimes, (see “Profiles in Corruption: Abuse of Power by America’s Progressive Elite,”) should give context to the world Silver lived in.

Rabbi Eli Reit

West Orange/Lakewood