Friday, March 06, 2015

Pro-Israel Dem senator from New Jersey to be charged on corruption

I'm not alone is wondering about the timing of the Obama Justice Department leaking to CNN that Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) will be soon face corruption charges. Menendez is perhaps the most pro-Israeli Democrat--that's not saying a lot--in the Senate. Obama hates Israel.

Still, Menendez is a sleaze bag and I suspect he's far from alone in being a senator deeply enmeshed in graft.

More from NJ.com:
As Menendez was running for re-election to his second full term in 2012, the tipster emailed numerous reporters alleging that a wealthy Dominican-born eye doctor named Salomon Melgen had hosted him at his luxurious Dominican Republic villa for trysts with prostitutes — some underaged. The story was aired in a conservative media outlet, but was not substantiated. It gained widespread attention when the FBI raided Melgen's Florida medical office in January 2013, but the Washington Post later reported an FBI inquiry into the matter had "come up dry."

But it increased scrutiny on Menendez's relationship with Melgen, who met Menendez at a Florida fundraiser when he was member of the House more than 20 years ago and who has since been a major donor to the senator.

Soon, Menendez acknowledged to The Star-Ledger that he had accepted two flights to the Dominican Republic on Melgen's private jet without reimbursing them — paying back $58,500 to the doctor only after his relationship with Melgen drew attention, and after a New Jersey Republican state senator asked the U.S. Senate's ethics committee to take a look into his travels. A year later, Menendez reimbursed Melgen for a third flight in 2011, calling it an "oversight."

The New York Times reported that Menendez had urged officials to intervene on behalf of a port security company had urged Homeland Security officials not to donate port security equipment to the Dominican Republican, while a company connected to Melgen pushed for a port security contract there that was worth up to $500 million.
I believe the Obama White House wants it lackeys on Capitol Hill to be corrupt--because it makes it easier for Dear Leader to filet them if they don't obey him.

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