WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A Florida doctor charged with corruption alongside New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez has been ordered to remain jailed while awaiting trial for alleged Medicare fraud. Attorneys for 60-year-old Salomon Melgen said their client posed no risk of fleeing. But U.S. Magistrate Judge James Hopkins sided Friday with prosecutors who said the… Read the rest of this entry »
TRENTON — U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez said he was “not going anywhere” after news of his impending federal corruption indictment leaked. And, according to a new poll, New Jersey residents are fine with that — for now. A Rutgers-Eagleton poll of 433 New Jersey residents, released Tuesday morning, found 58 percent said Menendez (D-N.J.) should be… Read the rest of this entry »
Dr. Salomon Melgen, left and Senator Robert Menendez
HACKENSACK, N.J. — Federal prosecutors face many hurdles in making their corruption case against New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, indicted Wednesday on charges of accepting close to $1 million in gifts and campaign contributions to benefit a wealthy Florida donor and friend, said several white-collar defense experts. The details in the indictment will likely raise the… Read the rest of this entry »
WASHINGTON — Following his indictment Wednesday on federal corruption charges, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez said he would temporarily step aside as the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Menendez (D-N.J.), who had been chairman of the committee until Republicans took control of the Senate in January, made the announcement after talking to Senate Democratic… Read the rest of this entry »
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, one of the state’s most powerful politicians and a leading voice for Israel and against Iran in the U.S. Senate, was indicted Wednesday on charges that he intervened on behalf of a campaign donor in exchange for gifts and contributions. The 14-count indictment announced by the Justice Department focused on… Read the rest of this entry »
Senator Bob Menendez, left, and Congressman Frank Pallone, making like chimpmunks at the 2012 Belmar St. Patrick’s parade. Photo credit Charles Measley
The Wall Street Journal reported this afternoon that Washington, DC based federal prosecutors are expected to file criminal corruption charges against U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) as early as this week.
WSJ’s anonymous sources did not reveal the specific charges, but indicated that a legal battle over how much the Constitution shields federal legislators and their aides has come to a close. The charges, which reportedly will be filed in New Jersey’s federal courts, are believed to involve Menendez’s relationship with Florida eye-doctor, Solomon Melgen.
Earlier this month, CNN reported that outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder signed off on the Menendez prosecution. In a hastily called press conference after the CNN report broke on March 8, the senator defiantly defended the “appropriateness and lawfulness” of his conduct in office, including his dealings with Melgen.
Posted: March 22nd, 2015 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Bob Menendez | Tags: Bob Menendez, Bob Menendez scandals, Dr. Solomon Melgen, Eric Holder, Menendez scandals, Sen Bob Menendez, U.S. Justice Department | 7 Comments »
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) – Federal Emergency Management Agency officials have agreed to reopen and review every flood insurance claim filed by Superstorm Sandy victims. The review will involve approximately 144,000 claims and not limit corrective action to 2,200 that are currently in litigation. The announcement comes following allegations of fraud involving the way some insurance companies… Read the rest of this entry »
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez swiveled in his chair to chat briefly with his Senate Foreign Relations Committee chief of staff, Jodi Herman. Then he turned back to face the audience and waited to speak. Sitting before him this morning were Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter and Gen. Martin Dempsey,… Read the rest of this entry »
WASHINGTON—To show that Sen. Bob Menendez’s relationship with a prominent donor crossed the line from politics into political corruption, the government faces several hurdles that could make a quick conviction difficult, experienced white-collar defense attorneys said. Menendez, D-N.J., has said repeatedly that he has done nothing wrong, and on Saturday several defenders — Republicans and Democrats… Read the rest of this entry »
Senator Bob Menendez, left, and Congressman Frank Pallone, making like chimpmunks at the 2012 Belmar St. Patrick’s parade. Photo credit Charles Measley
First of all, Senator Bob Menendez might not even be indicted. Leaks out of the Justice Department have been notoriously unreliable since Chris Christie resigned as U.S. Attorney in 2008.
If Menendez is indicted, he probably will not resign. In his press conference this evening, the Senator defiantly insisted on the “appropriateness and lawfulness” of his relationship with Dr. Salomon Melgen, the Florida ophthalmologist who is Menendez’s friend and benefactor. He declared that he is not going anywhere.
If, as CNN speculates, Menendez is charged with corruption this month, it could be Halloween before he goes to trial. Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell was indicted in January of 2014. His trial didn’t start until late July and didn’t end to early September. Unless Menendez makes a deal to avoid prosecution that includes his resignation, there is not likely to be a Special Election to fill the Senate seat until next year….2016, the year of the next presidential election.
If Chris Christie is still Governor in 2016 and Menendez’s seat becomes vacant, he will get to choose the next Senator and set the date a special election. There could be a mid-year Special Election or the Special Election could be on the same day as the presidential election. There’s no way to know now what is likely to happen.
Still, the prospect of a Senatorial vacancy stirs speculation and the phone lines among both Democrats and Republicans have been burning this afternoon since the news of the possible prosecution broke.
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