#Senator Robert Menendez

[filosofablogger]

What. A. Mess. (As Told By The Cartoon Artists)

Looming government shutdown, Dianne Feinstein’s death, Tuberville’s attack on the military, looming government shutdown, sham impeachment inquiry, UAW strike, looming government shutdown, rising fuel & food costs, war in Ukraine, corrupt members of Congress, Trump indictments, looming government shutdown, wildfires & floods, rich folk, guns, book banning … it’s all too much to take in … it … it…

[minnesotafollower]

Introduction of New Proposed Afghan Adjustment Act 

On July 13, 2023, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (Dem, MN) with five co-sponsoring Democrat Senators and six co-sponsoring Republican Senators introduced a new proposed Afghan Adjustment Act (S.2327). The Democrat co-sponsors are Senators Coon (DE), Blumenthal (CT), Shaheen (NH), Durban (IL) and Menendez (NJ), and the Republican co-sponsors are Senators Graham  (SC), Moran (KS), Mullin (OK),…

[hezigler]

Watch "Jon Stewart Gives Sen. Robert Menendez a Corruption Lesson | The Daily Show" on YouTube

"We have the best government money can buy." Mark Twain

[tomorrowusa]

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) needs to resign ASAP. He has been associated with scandals in the past though there had usually been a plausible (if thin) element of deniability. This latest scandal is different. If this were fiction, people might call it laughably unreal.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and other top Garden State Democrats are calling on Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez to resign – a sign of how quickly the senator’s political support may erode after Friday’s shocking indictment on federal bribery charges. “The alleged facts are so serious that they compromise the ability of Senator Menendez to effectively represent the people of our state,” Murphy, a Democrat, said in a statement. [ ... ] Menendez and his wife, Nadine Arslanian Menendez, are accused of accepting “hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes,” including gold, cash and a luxury vehicle in exchange for the senator’s influence.

Seriously, gold bars?

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez of NJ indicted a 2nd time on corruption charges

The indictment alleges real estate developer Fred Daibes; Wael Hana, who owns a halal meat certification business in New Jersey; and businessman Jose Uribe collectively provided hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for Menendez’s “acts and breaches of duty to benefit the Government of Egypt, Hana, and others, including with respect to foreign military sales and foreign military financing.” It also says Menendez provided sensitive information to the Egyptian government. Menendez, a Democrat, leads the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee and is a longtime member of New Jersey’s congressional delegation. The indictment comes almost six years after Menendez was tried on corruption charges related to a Florida eye surgeon, which ended in a mistrial. [ ... ]

The indictment says Menendez took bribes that included “cash, gold, payments toward a home mortgage, compensation for a low-or-no-showjob, a luxury vehicle, and other things of value.” Prosecutors also say he interfered with the state attorney general’s office’s investigation into Jose Uribe, a former insurance agent convicted of fraud. The indictment describes Uribe as a business associate of Hana’s.

Some of Bob's gold...

If Menendez were to resign, Gov. Phil Murphy (a Democrat) would appoint a replacement to serve until the next election in 2024. As it turns out, Menendez is up for re-election next year. If he foolishly refused to quit and decided to run again, he'd probably get trounced in the primary.

The Senate can expel a member, but there have been only 30 attempts to do so since the adoption of our current constitution. Only half of those were actually expelled – the last one in 1862.

Damian Williams is the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. He opened the investigation of Menendez last year and secured the three-count indictment against the senator. Williams is a Democrat appointed by President Joe Biden. So the Menendez indictment makes it more difficult for Trump and his followers to claim that the two federal indictments against him in Florida and DC are a partisan "witch hunt" targeting him.

[dailyworldecho]

[collapsedsquid]

Prosecutors have the gold bars Menendez supposedly received as a corrupt payment, a cooperating witness, and text messages that, they say, showed the senator promising to take votes and other official actions in exchange for bribes. But the prosecution is being complicated by the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause—or at least by the trial judge’s expansive reading of it. This provision aims to allow lawmakers to avoid legal liability for things they say or do in Congress. The idea is to protect elected representatives from being sued or prosecuted for performing their constitutional duties. You might assume that this clause—while sensibly protecting lawmakers from things like libel suits or criminal charges over controversial floor speeches—would have a carveout for public corruption cases. It, in fact, does not. Read literally, it appears quite broad. “For any speech or debate in either House, [members of Congress] shall not be questioned in any other place,” it says. The feds had argued they could sidestep this provision by avoiding evidence concerning officials acts Menendez took. Instead, they planned to focus on text messages related to his alleged promises to take corrupt actions. But last week, after the trial was well underway, US District Judge Sidney Stein said he would bar prosecutors from introducing text messages that, they allege, showed the people who bribed Menendez discussing “getting their money’s worth” from the senator.

You see you can argue Trump isn't being politically prosecuted but it's hard when it's impossible to prosecute congressmen even for the most flagrant corruption possible.

[mydaddywiki]

Bob Menendez

Physique: Average Build Height: 5'8" (1.73 m)

Robert Menendez (born January 1, 1954 -) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the senior United States senator from New Jersey, a seat he has held since 2006. A member of the Democratic Party, the NYC native was first appointed to the U.S. Senate by Governor Jon Corzine, and chaired the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations from 2013 to 2015, and again from 2021 to 2023.

In 2015, Menendez was indicted on federal corruption charges; the jury was unable to reach a verdict, and the charges were dropped. Menendez was again indicted in 2023 on federal corruption charges that he aided and provided sensitive information to the government of Egypt. If I had any kind of dirt on him, I wouldn't have used it for political maneuvering. And by 'political maneuvering', I mean would have maneuvered him into the bedroom for some lovely daddy-sex!

Married with grown up children from a previous marriage. If I judge this book by it's cover, his current wife looks like a jersey shore mom trying to up her status by fucking and marrying a senator. And if true, I can respect that.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Sebastian Murdock at HuffPost:

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) will resign effective Aug. 20 following his conviction Tuesday for accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes. Menendez submitted his resignation to the Senate on Tuesday.

Menendez’s plan to resign was initially reported by the New Jersey Globe and The Washington Post. The senator’s office did not immediately return HuffPost’s request for comment. Menendez was found guilty of all 16 counts against him Tuesday at his federal corruption trial for accepting bribes of gold and cash from several New Jersey businessmen. The trial also found he was acting as a foreign agent for the Egyptian government. In an indictment in the Southern District of New York, unsealed in September, the senator was found to have taken bribes including $100,000 in gold bars and $480,000 in cash in return for official acts aiding an Egyptian American businessman and the Egyptian government.

[...] Menendez’s resignation will come after 44 Senate Democrats called on him to step down or risk getting expelled. “In light of this guilty verdict, Senator Menendez must now do what is right for his constituents, the Senate, and our country, and resign,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said minutes after Menendez was found guilty.

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) will resign from his Senate seat, effective August 20th, after being convicted of 16 obstruction and bribery charges.

[saydams]

the usa senate passed the budget that banned all aid to UNRWA and Biden signed it.

the senators who voted for this budget (preventing usa from funding UNRWA) are under the readmore. if your senator is on this list, call (202) 224-3121 and demand they find another way of funding relief to palestine.

Tammy Baldwin Wis.

Richard Blumenthal Conn.

Cory Booker N.J.

John Boozman Ark.

Katie Britt Ala.

Sherrod Brown Ohio

Laphonza Butler Calif.

Maria Cantwell Wash.

S. Capito W.Va.

Benjamin L. Cardin Md.

Tom Carper Del.

Bob Casey Pa.

Bill Cassidy La.

Susan Collins Maine

Chris Coons Del.

John Cornyn Tex.

C. Cortez Masto Nev.

Tom Cotton Ark.

Kevin Cramer N.D.

Tammy Duckworth Ill.

Dick Durbin Ill.

Joni Ernst Iowa

John Fetterman Pa.

Deb Fischer Neb.

Kirsten Gillibrand N.Y.

Lindsey Graham S.C.

Chuck Grassley Iowa

M. Hassan N.H.

Martin Heinrich N.M.

John Hickenlooper Colo.

Mazie Hirono Hawaii

John Hoeven N.D.

Cindy Hyde-Smith Miss.

Tim Kaine Va.

Mark Kelly Ariz.

Angus King Maine

Amy Klobuchar Minn.

Ben Ray Luján N.M.

Joe Manchin III W.Va.

Edward J. Markey Mass.

Mitch McConnell Ky.

Robert Menendez N.J.

Jeff Merkley Ore.

Jerry Moran Kan.

Markwayne Mullin Okla.

Lisa Murkowski Alaska

Chris Murphy Conn.

Patty Murray Wash.

Jon Ossoff Ga.

Alex Padilla Calif.

Gary Peters Mich.

Jack Reed R.I.

Mitt Romney Utah

Jacky Rosen Nev.

Mike Rounds S.D.

Brian Schatz Hawaii

Charles E. Schumer N.Y.

Jeanne Shaheen N.H.

Kyrsten Sinema Ariz.

Tina Smith Minn.

Debbie Stabenow Mich.

Dan Sullivan Alaska

Jon Tester Mont.

John Thune S.D.

Thom Tillis N.C.

Chris Van Hollen Md.

Mark R. Warner Va.

Raphael G. Warnock Ga

Elizabeth Warren Mass.

Peter Welch Vt.

Sheldon Whitehouse R.I.

Roger Wicker Miss.

Ron Wyden Ore.

Todd Young Ind.

[beardedmrbean]

Several gold bars discovered by federal agents in Democratic New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez's residence as part of a high-profile bribery investigation can be traced to a violent robbery a decade ago.

According to a sprawling indictment unsealed by federal prosecutors in September, Menendez and his wife allegedly played a role in a years-long bribery scheme that involved the Egyptian government and local businessmen including Fred Daibes, a wealthy New Jersey real estate developer. Prosecutors revealed they retrieved multiple gold bars from Menendez's home which were allegedly used as payment in the scheme.

At least four of the gold bars discovered by investigators can be linked to Daibes, both because of their unique engraved serial numbers and thanks to court documents related to a 2013 robbery which Daibes was a victim of, an NBC New York investigation revealed Monday. In November 2013, four assailants beat and robbed Daibes at gunpoint in his Edgewater, New Jersey, apartment, stealing 22 gold bars, jewelry and cash.

"Each gold bar has its own serial number," Daibes told local investigators in a 2014 transcript obtained by NBC New York. "They’re all stamped … you’ll never see two stamped the same way."

5 EXPLOSIVE REVELATIONS FROM DEM SEN BOB MENENDEZ'S BOMBSHELL FEDERAL INDICTMENT

Photographs released by the Department of Justice in September showing the gold bars discovered at Menendez's home, for example, reveal one of the bars has a serial number of "590005." Daibes reported a gold bar with that same serial number stolen during the 2013 heist, NBC New York reported.

And the federal indictment notes that the serial numbers on the gold bars indicate they had previously been possessed by Daibes.

MSNBC'S ALICIA MENENDEZ ADDRESSES FATHER'S INDICTMENT: COLLEAGUES HAVE 'AGGRESSIVELY' COVERED

"A court-authorized search of the residence of Robert Menendez and Nadine Menendez, a/k/a ‘Nadine Arslanian,’ the defendants, revealed, among other things, approximately two one-kilogram gold bars and nine one-ounce gold bars that had serial numbers indicating they had previously been possessed by Fred Daibes, the defendant," the indictment states.

In addition, when Daibes reported the robbery to police in 2013, he said 22 gold bars had been taken. Similarly, the September indictment states that Daibes sold 22 gold bars to Wael Hana, another defendant allegedly implicated in the bribery scheme.

Police ultimately arrested and charged four individuals for robbing Daibes in 2013, according to local media reports. Then, in September 2015, the suspects all pled guilty and were ultimately sentenced to several months in prison.

Meanwhile, since the federal bribery indictment was unsealed earlier this year, Menendez has repeatedly asserted his innocence and remained in the Senate.

"The allegations leveled against me are just that, allegations," Menendez said Sept. 25. "For anyone who has known me throughout my 50 years of public service, they know I have always fought for what is right. My advocacy has always been grounded. And what I learned from growing up as the son of Cuban refugees, especially my mom, my hero, Evangelina Menendez. Everything I accomplished, I worked for despite the nay sayers and everyone who has underestimated me.

"I firmly believe that when all the facts are presented, not only will I be exonerated, but I still will be New Jersey’s senior senator," he added.  "The court of public opinion is no substitute for our revered justice system. We cannot set aside the presumption of innocence for political expediency when the harm is irrevocable."

[doomsday-architect]

Isn't it just a little ironic.......

From the birth of America to relatively recently our political parties, at the end of the day, came together to pass legislation to benefit America and its citizens.

Today, the SELF-CENTERED attitude seems to be....

Me first. Example, Robert Menendez, Senator.

My contributors, to whom I am indebted. Example, Robert Menendez, Senator.

My State/District.

My Country.

Yup, country is #4, at least.

.....and uninformed citizens keep reelecting them over and over......

Watching Rome decline live and in color......

Sad.

[filosofablogger]

I Think This Time Will Be Different ...

Democratic Senator from New Jersey, Robert Menendez, has been indicted on criminal charges.  He and his wife have each been charged with conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, and conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right.  Prosecutors allege Mr. Menendez and his wife Nadine accepted bribes of cash, gold, payments toward a home mortgage and a…

[workersolidarity]

🇺🇲 US Senator Bob Menendez, D-NJ and his wife Nadine have been Indicted on Felony Bribery Charges

US Prosecutors revealed on Friday US Senator Robert Menendez (69), D-NJ and his wife Nadine have been Indicted on Federal Felony charges of Conspiracy to Commit Bribery, Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Fraud, and Conspiracy to Commit Extortion Under Color of Official Right.

The indictment alleges New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez and his wife accepted bribes including cash, gold bars, payments on a home mortgage, compensation for a no-show job (guess his last name isn't Biden), luxury vehicles and other forms of payment.

Prosecutors say they executed a Search Warrant of Senator Menendez and his wife's home in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey back in June, 2022. While searching the couple's home, Prosecutors say they found more than $480'000 cash, most of it stuffed away in envelopes, hidden in clothing, closets, and a safe. The indictment also alleges cash was found in the Senator's closet in jackets with his name embroidered on it, as well as $70'000 cash in a safe deposit box owned by the Senator's wife.

Also discovered during the execution of the Search Warrant was a Mercedes Benz convertible valued at over $60'000, given to Senator Menendez's wife by two New Jersey Businessmen, Wael Hana and Jose Uribe, allegedly in return for the Senator's interference in a criminal case involving an associate of the businessmen.

Also found by Federal Agents were gold bars valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars also given by the businessman Hana and another associate, Fred Daibes. All three businessmen were also charged by Federal Prosecutors.

Senator Bob Menendez is also accused of having "provided sensitive US Government information and took other steps that secretly aided the Government of Egypt."

Another accusation in the indictment includes pressuring a US Department of Agriculture official for the purpose of protecting a business monopoly granted by Egypt to the businessman Wael Hana.

The indictment also alleges Senator Menendez "promised to and did use his influence and power and breach his official duty to recommend that the President nominate an individual for US Attorney for the District of New Jersey who Menendez believed" he could influence.

The charges against Senator Menendez and his wife were announced by Damien Williams, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York at a news conference on Friday.

Previously, Senator Menendez faced indictment in 2015 for allegedly accepting favors from an influential Florida eye doctor, but the case was dismissed after the jury split and was unable to reach a verdict.

Today's new charges filed against Senator Menendez and his wife were the culmination of a year-long Corruption investigation led by US Attorney Damien Williams for Southern District of New York.

[tomorrowusa]

Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ-03 ) now looks like the overwhelming favorite to be elected the next US senator from New Jersey.

After incumbent Sen. Robert Menendez was indicted on federal corruption charges last September, three-term Rep. Kim announced that he would challenge him in the June 2024 primary. Soon after, New Jersey's first lady Tammy Murphy announced that she would also run for the Menendez seat.

Despite Tammy Murphy's clout and backing from the NJ political machine, Kim has held a solid lead in the polls and was unexpectedly winning endorsements from Democratic organizations in a number of NJ counties.

This month, Menendez anounced he would not compete in the primary. And last weekend Tammy Murphy suspended her campaign. There are still a couple of minor candidates in the primary but Andy Kim is now the clear favorite.

Not only is Andy Kim the likely winner of the primary, his campaign is leading to a reform of an archaic way of listing candidates on New Jersey primary ballots.

So Andy Kim didn’t just win a primary. He might have forced the machine to relinquish its iron grip. And politics just might be viable again in the Garden State. [ ... ] New Jersey has perhaps the most connection in the modern day to the old-line machine politics of the past. Reforms have weakened the power of Tammany Hall and its antecedents virtually everywhere, except in New Jersey. Voters have generally decided that they want to be in control of who represents them, and this simple request has imploded the gilded towers of the presumed deciders in our politics. That’s not to discount the achievement here, though. The combination of a comically corrupt senator and what people clearly saw as a corrupt process to replace him proved too much for the system to bear. But without Kim stepping up, with his profile as an ethical anomaly in the state and a message to run directly against that corruption, to loudly highlight the deficiencies of the system, it probably would have lingered on a while longer. It turns out that running on an actual belief system in politics can defeat the cynicism of a machine.

As for Republicans, the last time a GOP senator was elected from New Jersey, Richard Nixon was busy engaging in the Watergate cover-up.

NJ first lady Tammy Murphy ends Senate campaign, paving way for Andy Kim

In addition to his liberal record on domestic issues, Andy Kim has a strong background in national security and foreign affairs.

Personally, he is virtually the AntiTrump. He is personally modest and ethical. He earned his degrees and was even a Rhodes Scholar. He has respect for the institutions of democracy and for the people who serve them.

The night after the January 6th pro-Trump terrorists rampaged through the US Capitol, Andy Kim helped clean up some of the debris left by MAGA criminals.

Behind the viral photo of Rep. Andy Kim cleaning up at midnight after riots

I haven't been so enthusiastic about a politician since Barack Obama. And it's entirely possible that Andy Kim could be the Barack Obama of 2028; but first we have to defeat Trump this year.

[ms-cellanies]

Menendez should remove himself from the Senate.

[zvaigzdelasas]

Under intense grilling today by the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a mid-level Biden-Harris administration aide repeatedly dodged direct questions about the State Department’s failure to break Azerbaijan’s genocidal blockade of Artsakh – even refusing, on national security grounds, to answer Chairman Robert Menendez’s (D-NJ) straightforward query about Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s motives for starving 120,000 indigenous Christian Armenians, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). Thursday’s hearing, titled “Assessing the Crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh,” was chaired by Sen. Menendez (D-NJ) and featured testimony by Acting Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasia Yuri Kim. The chair led members of the committee in direct, often confrontational questioning of the State Department refusal to hold Azerbaijan accountable or to provide urgently needed humanitarian aid to Artsakh.[...]

when asked by Senator Menendez “why the United States is not or cannot do more to get humanitarian assistance [to Artsakh],” the Acting Assistant Secretary of State pointed to the passage of a single Russian Red Cross truck through the secondary Aghdam road to Artsakh, noting “that traffic is now flowing,” though she agreed with Senate leaders, “it is not enough.” When asked by Senator Menendez, “Why do you think, despite its signed commitments and a ruling by the International Court of Justice to open the Lachin Corridor, that Aliyev is not opening the corridor?”, Acting Assistant Secretary Kim refused to answer publicly, inferring the matter is classified.[...]

Chairman Menendez was joined by Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) in pressing the State Department to enforce Section 907 restrictions on U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) “I have repeatedly expressed my deep opposition to waiving Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, allowing the United States to send assistance to his regime. This clearly alters the balance of military power between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Aliyev’s favor. I think Azerbaijan’s actions over the past three years have vindicated my skepticism,” stated Chairman Menendez. “When you routinely give the waiver under Section 907, saying that Azerbaijan has demonstrated steps to cease all blockades and other offensive uses of force against Armenia when that’s just not the case,” stated Sen. Cardin, “we lose credibility when that happens, when we aren’t prepared to take decisive steps based upon our values.”[...]

Acting Assistant Secretary Kim defended previous waivers of Section 907, noting that assistance has been used for counter-terrorism and other purposes. She confirmed that President Biden’s 2022 waiver had expired in June. “We have not submitted a new waiver request yet because we are reviewing the situation very carefully,” stated Acting Assistant Secretary Kim.

17 Sep 23