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File |
File Size |
Excerpt/Description |
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10181961_Greenspun.pdf |
278 KB |
On October 18, 1961 President
John F. Kennedy pardoned convicted smuggler for Israel Herman
"Hank" Greenspun. See the Greenspun
smuggling archive for further details. |
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01202001_Schwimmer_Pardon.pdf |
138 KB |
On January 20, 2001, President
William J. Clinton pardoned convicted smuggler for Israel Adolph
"Al" Schwimmer. |
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07042008_Wilmer_Hale.pdf |
127 KB |
On July 4, 2008/ the law firm
of Wilmer Hale asks President George W. Bush and Michael B.
Mukasey for a posthumous pardon of Charles "Charlie" Thompson
Winters on behalf of his son James Winters and the Jewish
Federation of Palm Beach County. The firm encourages "you
both to review these materials personally, as they recount
extraordinary acts of courage by fellow Americans who stood up
for Israel and core American values when it mattered most." |
|
1428295.pdf |
128 KB |
Department of Justice
Executive Secretariat assigns workflow ID "1428295" to Winters
pardon request, due September 11, 2008. Pardon Attorney
responds on November 18, 2008 "I cannot answer...w/o getting
direct guidance from the White House Counsel's Office on the
matter, which I have not yet received." |
|
07042013_Jewish_Federation.pdf |
120 KB |
July 4, 2008 Jewish Federation
of Palm Beach County letter to President Bush and AG Mukasey.
"Other Americans who were involved in the Israeli War of
Independence on a much grander scale were treated more
mercifully by the US Justice System. Others have also been
granted Presidential Pardons." |
|
07032008_James_Winters.pdf |
126 KB |
July 3, 2008 letter from James
Winters to President Bush and AG Mukasey. . "I request now
that you grant him a posthumous pardon so history will reflect
that his actions in helping Israel during a critical time were
honorable and reflective of the United States' ultimate position
toward Israel, and not actions for which he should forever be
labeled a felon." |
|
06272008_Al_Schwimmer.pdf |
94 KB |
June 27, 2008 letter from
convicted felon Adolph "Al" Schwimmer. "I knew Charlie
personally and feel that he should be remembered as a hero for
his contribution to the creation and preservation of the State
of Israel rather than forever being marked as an ex-convict." |
|
07042008_Brian_Greenspun.pdf |
83 KB |
July 4, 2008 letter from Brian
Greenspun. In 2000, President Bill Clinton granted a
pardon to Al Schwimmer, the man to led the operation in which
Mr. Winters participated. As the two major players who
were convicted for doing the just and righteous thing, Mr.
Schwimmer and my father represented those most responsible. " |
|
Harold_Livingston.pdf |
69 KB |
Harold Livingston letter to
George Bush, "I met and served with Mr. Winters in early 1948
when he provided immense—more accurately,
nation-saving—assistance in the acquisition of aircraft for the
then nascent Israel Air Force. Please recall that the young
nation was then struggling for its very existence and Mr.
Winters, although a non-Jew, immediately responded to the call.
Ironically, he was the only individual convicted of the crime of
evasion of various neutrality acts while other, more
highly-positioned volunteers, despite having been convicted of
the same "crime," eventually received presidential pardons..
|
|
06162008_Lowenstein.pdf |
104 KB |
June 16, 2008 letter from
Ralph Lowenstein, on behalf of the University of Florida and
Aliyah Bet, "Most others involved
with delivering arms to Israel to defend herself against these
invading armies have now been pardoned. It is only proper that
the United States now deal a measure
of justice to the Winters family by
giving their father the same treatment."
|
|
Petition_for_Pardon_Winters.pdf |
1.1 MB |
July 3, 2008 Charles Winters
application for pardon. |
|
Attachments.pdf |
1.7 MB |
Attachment of material from
book "Destination Israel: How a handful of rag-tag flyers helped
to save a newborn nation" by Harold Livingston, " I am my
Brother's Keeper: American Volunteers in Israel's War of
Independence" by Jeffrey Weiss and Craig Weiss, and "The Secret
Army" by David J. Bercuson, |
|
08012013_congress.pdf |
144 KB |
Members of Congress sign letter supporting
Winters pardon. "We ask that you give the posthumous
pardon application for Mr. Charles Winters a prompt review and
correct the injustice that has been done." |
|
Winters_Indictment.pdf |
756 KB |
Copy of the original indictment and conviction
court papers of Chares Winters, obtained from the National
Archives and Records Administration. |
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12152008_congressmembers.pdf |
102 KB |
December 15, 2008 to George W. Bush from congress
members Carolyn B. Maloney, Gary Ackermann, Jose Serano, and
Brian Higgins. "We are writing to express our support for
a posthumous pardon for Charlie Winters, a gentleman who
contributed to a great cause. He and other volunteers from
around the world defied weapons embargoes to supply the newly
established Israel with critical supplies to defend Itself
against mounting attacks from all sides. Without the actions of
individuals like Mr. Winters, this fledgling democracy In the
Middle East almost certainly would not have survived as the
surrounding nations closed in on Israel's borders with their
trained armies and established air forces..." |
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08082008_senators.pdf |
104 KB |
On August 8, 2008 Senators Bill Nelson and Mel
Martinez sign letters to the pardon attorney in support of
pardon. "Mr. Winters' actions helped secure the
independence of the state of Israel, thereby establishing a
beacon of democracy in the Middle East. We know that this
Administration shares our goals of strengthening the United
States-Israel relationship. We ask that you give the posthumous
pardon application for Mr. Charles Winters a prompt review." |
|
08132008_WH.pdf |
60 KB |
Wilmer Hale cover letter on August 13, 2008.
"We received copies today of additional letters of support for
the pardon request for Charles Winters... |
|
08132008_AJC.pdf |
131 KB |
David A. Harris of the American Jewish Committee
writes to President Bush on August 13, 2008. " |
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08122008_Guidestone.pdf |
167 KB |
GuideStone Financial Resources
CEO O. S. Hawkins asks President Bush to pardon Winters.
Mr. President, as you know, I do not speak for 16 million
Southern Baptists across America. Even if it could, 1 would not
due to our own ecclesiology. However~ the overwhelming
majority of those who Worship in our churches Sunday by Sunday
are deeply appreciative of you and hold you on their hearts and
in their prayers and are also strong supporters of the State of
Israel. I am beseeching you that before you leave office you
will give Charlie Winters serious consideration for the pardon
which we believe is just. |
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08202008_deal_hudson.pdf |
59 KB |
Wilmer Hale forwards Deal
Hudson letter. |
|
Deal_Hudson.pdf |
107 KB |
Deal W. Hudson letter to Bush
and Mukasey "Two other individuals who were convicted along with
Charlie have already been pardoned by your predecessors in
office. While it is somewhat unusual to seek a posthumous pardon
on Charlie's behalf, his family and our Nation would be the
better if you granted the request. Among other things, it would
be a powerful and timely reminder of the broad ecumenical
support for Israel in the Christian and Jewish communities. It
would also be an especially moving tribute coming from you, a
leader who has consistently answered the call of conscience
regardless of the immediate political consequences. |
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09292008_FBI.pdf |
70 KB |
September 29, 2008, Pardon
Attorney requests "a limited APACS (application for pardon after
completion of sentence) investigation to include only a report
of checks of appropriate indices of the FBI, and a report of any
outstanding warrants noted to the NCIC." |
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01072009_US_Courthouse_Miami.pdf |
63 KB |
January 7, 2009 letter from US
Pardon Attorney to the Miami US Courthouse. "This refers
to the executive clemency application filed on behalf of Charles
Thompson Winters., who was convicted in your district in 1949 of
conspiring to export and exporting aircraft to a foreign
country. ()n January 1,2009, the President granted Mr. Winters a
full and unconditional posthumous pardon. A copy of the pardon
Warrant is enclosed for your information. Please make the
appropriate notation in your official records. |
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01222009_cover_let.pdf |
71 KB |
January 22, 2009 Letter to
Gina Haschke of Wilmer Hale. "On January 1., 2009.,
President George \V. Bush granted a full and unconditional
pardon to Charles T. Winters, the deceased father of your client
James Winters who was convicted in 1949 of conspiring to
illegally export, and illegally exporting, military aircraft to
a foreign country. Enclosed is the individual warrant of pardon
for Mr. \Vinters signed by the Pardon "Attorney at the
President's direction." |
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01012009_Winters_Pardon.pdf |
75 KB |
January 1, 2009 Executive
grant of Clemency for Charles T. Winters signed by George W.
Bush. |
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01312009_receipt.pdf |
71 KB |
Wilmer Hale signed
acknowledgement of receipt of pardon. |
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11241948_State.pdf |
530 KB |
US State Department memo on
illegal smuggling activities. |
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10181948_Zatec.pdf |
857 KB |
Secret October 18, 1948 US Air
Force "subversive activities" intelligence report on illegal
smuggling US aircraft through Zatec, Czechoslovakia "one of the
most heavily guarded air field" to Israel |
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Pardon_Attorney_response.pdf |
143 KB |
Pardon Attorney Ron Rogers
replies to Reg Brown of Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale and
Dorr. "This correspondence is in response to your letter
of July 4, 2008 to the President and the Attorney General in
which you endorse the posthumous pardon request of Mr. James
Winters on behalf of his father, Charles Thompson Winters. I
must inform you, however, that it is the general policy of the
Department of Justice that requests for posthumous pardons for
federal offenses not be processed for adjudication..." |
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01142009_irmep.pdf |
365 KB |
Cover letter and essay from
IRmep protesting the pardon of Charles Winters. |
Documents