Hours after he was indicted on federal corruption charges, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez came out fighting at a press conference tonight, saying he was angry at prosecutors for twisting his close friendship with a Florida eye surgeon into a trumped-up case of wrongdoing.
In an eight-minute address delivered in both English and Spanish at the Newark Hilton, Menendez (D-N.J.) accused the federal Justice Department of buying into lies spread by his political enemies.
“For nearly three years, I’ve lived under a Justice Department cloud, and today I’m outraged that this cloud has not been lifted,” he said. “I’m outraged that prosecutors at the Justice Department were tricked into starting this investigation three years ago with false allegations by those who have a political motive to silence me. But I will not be silenced.”
What political motive is he referring to? Does he think the DoJ gives two hoots in hell about Cuba or Iran?
jl
Beat the rap?
I may be prejudiced, since I always thought he was a jackass.
From Jersey too, so…
Corner Stone
The political motive that catches up to those who are crooked and think they can continue to run their mouth’s and get away with it.
Big fan of his daughter though, btw.
lol
Not going to shed any tears.
jl
Looks like those of us not favorably disposed towards Menendez are automatically reading ‘motive’ as ‘Menendez’ motive’. Hard not to do.
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
He’s referring to the bogus underage Dominican prostitute stories that came out just before the election. As I understand it, this investigation came out of that.
Google is your friend, JC. ;-)
Cheers,
Scott.
danielx
Why the fuck am I seeing an ad/poll asking if Sarah Palin should run for Senate on the front page?
I do not like her on the page.
I do not like her picture there.
I do not like her here or there or anywhere.
cbear
The only crime I see in the Menendez situation is that his fellow scumsuckers, Cuomo and Christie, remain un-indicted.
jl
There is worse than Menendez, though, and the motives are clear.
Looks like GOP Senate likes all the attention, and is starting to write letters everywhere bragging about who is in charge.
McConnell Warns Countries Against Obama’s UN Climate Plan
‘ McConnell said in the statement…. “Considering that two-thirds of the U.S. federal government hasn’t even signed off on the Clean Power Plan and 13 states have already pledged to fight it, our international partners should proceed with caution before entering into a binding, unattainable deal.” ‘
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/mcconnell-obama-emissions-un
max
What political motive is he referring to? Does he think the DoJ gives two hoots in hell about Cuba or Iran?
He wants to go to war with Iran. This makes him unpopular with his own party. Therefore, of late, he has taken to leaning on R’s for support. Now he’s up against the wall, he’s going to run the ‘persecuted pol’ pity party in the hopes of hanging onto his support while he spends a bunch of money on lawyers.
(For the record, I have no idea if he did whatever he’s accused of, or if it even mattered a lot in the grand scheme of things. I *am* VERY curious to see how whatever happens to him compares to what happened to Petraeus. Menendez got indicted, they never indicted Petraeus, they just went straight to an easy plea.)
max
[‘It doesn’t mean anything at all.’]
danielx
@efgoldman:
Yep. It’s like going to rehab for A-list celebrities, only rehab is more expensive. As to the Outlaw Jersey Whale, one can only live in hope that he receives his just desserts, and I don’t mean after dinner treats.
Villago Delenda Est
It’s a tell that Bro Bob isn’t being specific about what the Feds got wrong, aside from implying that from his friendship with that doctor in Florida is being “twisted” by the Feds into a crime.
If the problem is political, what specifically is the problem? His assholishness on Iran, perhaps? His undying love for the racist regime of Netanyahoo?
BillinGlendaleCA
@Corner Stone:
So is Joe Biden.
jl
Frank Zappa plays the bicycle on the Steve Allen Tonight Show. Can’t beat that for entertainment.
Frank Zappa on The Steve Allen Show March 4, 1963.mp4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MewcnFl_6Y
Jim, Foolish Literalist
I suspect McCain and Graham and a few others have been whispering in his ear what a Very Serious Voice on Foreign Policy he is, and a few others telling him that makes him a target.
Has Rush Holt expressed an interest in running for Senate, or did some DKos diarist want to draft him? I seem to recall some talk a few weeks ago when this bubbled up.
Villago Delenda Est
@efgoldman: Surprise, surprise, surprise. AT&T, Comcast, and Time/Warner are cheating.
jl
@Villago Delenda Est: Who knows? Those people better read the super fine teeny tiny print in their contracts.
Cliff in NH
From the pizza place thread.
https://balloon-juice.com/2015/04/01/its-not-discrimination-if-you-call-it-something-else/#comment-5301322
You see the bigot above my comment using this site for fundraising for bigots who won’t serve a gay wedding? that’s so cute. Not =(
BillinGlendaleCA
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
He did run to replace Sen. Lautenburg and lost to the Senator who’s name sends you to purgatory here.
David Koch
the missing strawberries from the USS Caine
Cervantes
@max:
Actually, Petraeus wasn’t indicted because he waived his Fifth Amendment right to a grand-jury indictment and entered a guilty plea instead. Instead of an indictment, a “criminal information” was filed — a formal criminal charge that is (legally) tantamount to an indictment. It happens.
In addition to the criminal information, a statement of facts and a plea were also filed, all in the US District Court for the Western District of North Carolina (Charlotte Division). You can find all three documents here. The case was US v. David Howell Petraeus.
Violet
Isn’t the political motive the usual one–say whatever is necessary to stay out of jail or avoid paying a big fine?
hellslittlestangel
I’m sure he’s at least as guilty as Shirley Sherrod, who was also targeted by right-wing ratfuckers for purely non-partisan reasons.
mai naem mobile
I do not give a sheet about Bobby Menendez. I do give a sheet about the Dems getting the Senate back. When’s Bobbys seat up again? I hope its after 2016.
David Koch
Jeb! just flip-flopped on indy’s gay discrimination bill.
keep steppin on that rake, Jeb!
Mike in NC
Reading about a non-corrupt politician from NJ would be a “stop the presses” kind of story.
danielx
OT toadally, as the kids say, but – If nobody has hired Roy Edroso yet it’s criminal neglect or something akin to it. He deserves to make a fortune just for actually reading the swill that passes for commentary on various wingnut blogs…more importantly, I get serious chuckles from his writing:
I live for the day.
Another alternative would be to have Big Gay puppets moaning MOAR PIZZA, like the zombies moaning for BRAINS in Night of the Living Dead. Very appropriate, since it appears that zombiehood is the future of Indiana businesses saying they will refuse service to whomever they damn well please. Kinda sucks to have an operating business one day and the next day not, and especially what the death threats and abuse and so forth, if true. But, y’know, these things will happen when a business providing service and products says publicly that it will not provide services and products to certain people not because of anything they’ve done, but because of who they are.
NotMax
@danielx
Fairly sure that Emily Post and Letitia Baldridge frowned on death threats for any occasion.
As should any rational human.
Jay C
What political motive is he referring to? Does he think the DoJ gives two hoots in hell about Cuba or Iran?
Naaah, ol’ Bob’s political grift has usually been more on a local level: petty favor-pushing for donors and the like: probably no better or worse than most of his Senate colleagues: and besides, it’s New Jersey politics: there’s always someone waiting to shiv you just for business-as-usual. The stuff with Dr. Melgen though, must be fairly solid: it’s been talked around for a few years (though it got overshadowed by the underage-Dominican-hookers BS) most likely, the Feds finally turned up something substantial. Though I’m guessing it’s even money that Menendez will skate..
David Koch
@danielx: “bake me a cake” – ROFL
Bystander
The idiot in Indiana with the pizzeria cracked me up. “If a gay couple wants us to sell them pizza for their wedding, we won’t do it.”
Now, I have no doubt that there are straight weddings in Indiana catered by pizzerias, but really? Gay men are going to serve up lukewarm pizza at a wedding reception? Not even in Indiana, nope, not gonna happen. I know my people.
NonyNony
@Bystander:
Allow me to translate from the wingnut:
Wingnut: “If a gay couple wants us to sell them pizza for their wedding, we won’t do it.”
Translation: “We would like to be viewed as Christian martyrs. So here is something outrageous that I can say that will get my mug on the teevee and lots of angry liberals denouncing me for my religious beliefs. Since everyone who lives in my town agrees with me except for some weirdo liberals that I don’t want around my business anyway it’s a way for me being perceived as a martyr that won’t actually impact me negatively at all. Sure that’s not really marytyrdom, but I’m not self-aware enough to understand that so for me it’s as good as being thrown to the lions by a Roman Emperor.”
They say this shit because they know that their friends will approve of it. Once I realized that adult life is just like High School only stupider because we’re all supposed to be adults life started making a whole lot more sense. I’m more depressed than I used to be, but at least life makes sense.
kindness
I would care but Menendez fucked himself by playing Liebermann with far too many issues.
Especially when we are in an era where Repubs are in a take no prisoners mode, one from an opposition party can not play with said Repubs and expect comity with their fellow Democrats in other settings. I mean, the man represents NJ for God’s sake. He didn’t have to be a complete ass about Israel & Iran but he chose to. Fuck him (please excuse my French).
Brandon
Well, he could be referring to and acknowledging that fact that for all practical purposes, from his post on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, that he was working as an Israeli spy/mole.
What is important to note about the stories about the Administration accusing Israel of spying on the Iran negotiations and passing information on the Congress, it never mentions the party whom the information is being passed to.
Of course the reason he’s being indicted is probably not at all related to this at all, but it is telling that in his guilty mind that this is first place to look for a reason. Because in his mind he’s been openly gifting for so long, why else would it come up now?
Bystander
Menendez is taking the position that the investigation was initiated when a political enemy planted the false story about his patronizing prostitutes in the Caribbean. So, since that story was a lie, the evidence of quid pro quo the DOJ uncovered can’t be adjudicated. Sad, actually, even if he’s lately acted like a complete douche over Israel.
Ella in NM
@jl:
We had a debate over BBQ on last nite as to whether this new tactic is better defined as treason or as mutiny. I’m sure if the tables were turned, the Republicans would be screaming for the prosecution of the Speaker and The Majority Leader by now.
Glenn Hauman
“What political motive is he referring to? Does he think the DoJ gives two hoots in hell about Cuba or Iran?”
He could well be referring to the first political investigation on him done back in September 2006, just before the Senate elections, run by then-US District Attorney, Chris Christie. There may be, shall we say, lingering grudges.