Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey indicted on federal bribery charges (ETA: FARA charges added)

[Arcangl86]

I think the Governor will make that decision for you won’t he?

Assuming he resigns. But Menendez is also up for election in 2024 which is what I suspect PloverWing was referring to.

 

[BPPLEE]

Is that supposed to be a joke?

Gold Bar Bob isn’t laughing

 

[Mike from NJ]

Little known fact: EMTs in New Jersey who deal with accident victims will say "Bob Menendez has been indicted" to get them out of a state of shock.

 

[DaisyDay]

Gold Bar Bob isn’t laughing

Nice deflection!

 

[ThatRobGuy]

So...how exactly is this that much worse than the "quasi-bribes" most elected legislators accept on a regular basis?? lol

So if the bribe is in the form of gold bars and an envelope full of cash...it = "bad"

If they launder it through a PAC or industry-hosted fundraiser first, it = "acceptable form of lobbying"?

The "money = speech" rules are getting more and more convoluted.

Any politicians who accept PAC money are being bribed, nobody should be kidding themselves about that.

As I see it, him receiving the bribe in the form of gold bars and envelopes of cash is just bypassing the middle man of having to rent out a venue, make people rent a tux, and pay for a $400/plate dinner.

 

[BPPLEE]

So...how exactly is this that much worse than the "quasi-bribes" most elected legislators accept on a regular basis?? lol

So if the bribe is in the form of gold bars and an envelope full of cash...it = "bad"

If they launder it through a PAC or industry-hosted fundraiser first, it = "acceptable form of lobbying"?

The "money = speech" rules are getting more and more convoluted.

Any politicians who accept PAC money are being bribed, nobody should be kidding themselves about that.

As I see it, him receiving the bribe in the form of gold bars and envelopes of cash is just bypassing the middle man of having to rent out a venue, make people rent a tux, and pay for a $400/plate dinner.

It also doesn’t seem to be a problem if family members of the politician get the bribes

 

[PloverWing]

I think the Governor will make that decision for you won’t he?

Assuming he resigns. But Menendez is also up for election in 2024 which is what I suspect PloverWing was referring to.

I was indeed thinking of the 2024 election. If Menendez sticks it out until 2024, I expect a robust challenge during the Democratic primary, but right now I don't know who the challengers would be.

But BPPLEE, you're right that the governor would nominate a temporary replacement if Menendez resigns. I'd forgotten about that.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Bob Menendez steps down as US Senate foreign relations chairman after indictment​

The embattled senator has rejected calls from fellow Democrats back in his home state of New Jersey to resign his seat.

Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer said on Friday that Mr Menendez had decided to step down as chairman of the influential committee "until the matter has been resolved".

Mr Menendez sought to portray the allegations as politically motivated.

"For years, forces behind the scenes have repeatedly attempted to silence my voice and dig my political grave," he said in a lengthy statement.

"Since this investigation was leaked nearly a year ago, there has been an active smear campaign of anonymous sources and innuendos to create an air of impropriety where none exists."

See? It's all a politically-motivated deep state witch hunt smear campaign!

But a wave of top Democrats, including at least four members of Congress from New Jersey, called for the lawmaker to resign.
In a statement, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said the allegations were "so serious that they compromise the ability of Senator Menendez to effectively represent the people of our state".
"Therefore, I am calling for his immediate resignation," he wrote.

 

[wing2000]

Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer said on Friday that Mr Menendez had decided to step down as chairman of the influential committee "until the matter has been resolved".

He didn't have a choice. Senate rules do not allow an indicted Senator to be a commitee chairman. He remains as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations committee however (the same committee through which he exercised he allegedly passed on sensitive infromation to Egypt in return for favors....). He should be removed from the committee immediately and IMO, be forced to resign as Senator.

 

[wing2000]

"It was January 2018, and Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey had just won a huge legal victory. His trial on federal bribery charges had ended in a hung jury, and the U.S. Justice Department had announced that it would not seek a new trial. He was free to walk with no criminal conviction, ready to take on another campaign for re-election.

Weeks later, he started dating Nadine Arslanian.

Ms. Arslanian, who would eventually marry Mr. Menendez, quickly introduced him to one of her longtime friends: Wael Hana, an Egyptian American businessman in New Jersey. The future Ms. Menendez was eager to connect her influential new boyfriend with Mr. Hana’s high-level connections in the Egyptian government."

Gold Bullion and Halal Meat: Inside the Menendez Investigation

Federal prosecutors have accused Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey and his wife, Nadine, of accepting bribes in exchange for official actions by Mr. Menendez.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Pommer]

TheSpin®️:
The DOJ going after a Democratic Senator is to give cover to Joe and his DOJ goons when they ‘go after’ Dear Leader and his friends!”
in 5…4…3…

 

[essentialsaltes]

Rep. Andy Kim announces he’ll run against NJ Sen. Bob Menendez in wake of his indictment​

New Jersey Democratic Rep. Andy Kim announced Saturday that he’ll run next year [in the Democratic primaries] against Sen. Bob Menendez in the wake of the senator’s indictment and refusal to step down.

“After calls to resign, Senator Menendez said ‘I am not going anywhere.’ As a result, I feel compelled to run against him. Not something I expected to do, but NJ deserves better. We cannot jeopardize the Senate or compromise our integrity,” Kim posted on X, the platform previously known as Twitter.

 

[NxNW]

We cannot jeopardize the Senate or compromise our integrity,”

I think that ship has has sailed.

 

[PloverWing]

New Jersey Democratic Rep. Andy Kim announced Saturday that he’ll run next year [in the Democratic primaries] against Sen. Bob Menendez in the wake of the senator’s indictment and refusal to step down.

There we go.

Given that the election is as soon as 2024, I might rather see Menendez' successor be picked in a primary race, rather than appointed by the governor, because whoever the governor appoints would automatically become an incumbent, and would get a boost thereby in the next election. If the governor does end up appointing someone, much will depend on Murphy's wisdom in that choice.

 

[Arcangl86]

There we go.

Given that the election is as soon as 2024, I might rather see Menendez' successor be picked in a primary race, rather than appointed by the governor, because whoever the governor appoints would automatically become an incumbent, and would get a boost thereby in the next election. If the governor does end up appointing someone, much will depend on Murphy's wisdom in that choice.

Menendez didn't resign last time and it went to verdict. I doubt he will this time so it doesn't seem likely there will be any appointments.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and his wife have been indicted on federal bribery charges offenses, Justice Department officials announced Friday morning.

“Over $480,000 in cash—much of it stuffed into envelopes and hidden in clothing, closets, and a safe—was discovered in the home

indictment

Sen. Bob Menendez suggests cash found in bribery raid came from ‘personal savings’​

“I have withdrawn thousands of dollars in cash from my personal savings account, what I have kept for emergencies and because of the history of my family facing confiscation in Cuba,” Menendez said during a press conference in Union, New Jersey.

“Now this may seem old-fashioned, but these were monies drawn from my personal savings account based on the income that I have lawfully derived,” the Democrat added.

 

[wing2000]

Sen. Bob Menendez suggests cash found in bribery raid came from ‘personal savings’​

“I have withdrawn thousands of dollars in cash from my personal savings account, what I have kept for emergencies and because of the history of my family facing confiscation in Cuba,” Menendez said during a press conference in Union, New Jersey.

“Now this may seem old-fashioned, but these were monies drawn from my personal savings account based on the income that I have lawfully derived,” the Democrat added.

...riiiiight. What's his excuse for the gold bars?

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

...riiiiight. What's his excuse for the gold bars?

Those belonged to his great-great-great granpappy who participated in the gold-rush of '49

 

[RocksInMyHead]

Sen. Bob Menendez suggests cash found in bribery raid came from ‘personal savings’​

“I have withdrawn thousands of dollars in cash from my personal savings account, what I have kept for emergencies and because of the history of my family facing confiscation in Cuba,” Menendez said during a press conference in Union, New Jersey.

“Now this may seem old-fashioned, but these were monies drawn from my personal savings account based on the income that I have lawfully derived,” the Democrat added.

I could buy it if it was just a few grand. Maybe even 10-20. But nobody engaged in legitimate business needs over $500,000 in emergency cash on hand.

 

[essentialsaltes]

I could buy it if it was just a few grand. Maybe even 10-20. But nobody engaged in legitimate business needs over $500,000 in emergency cash on hand.

What if Fidel Castro comes at you bro? What then?