On September 6th, New Jersey Democrat Bob
Menendez goes on trial for alleged corruption dating back more than a decade. Prosecutors say Menendez abused his office and accepted bribes
from a major Democratic donor -- a major Democratic donor, mind you, who
was convicted on dozens of charges related to of a massive Medicare
fraud scheme in April and is facing a lengthy prison sentence. Now,
accountability may soon arrive for his powerful alleged partner in crime.
Details from Politico:
Donations and favors flowed to the Senator from the doctor,
and in return, the allegedly Senator sought to help the doctor avoid deserved
scrutiny for an elaborate and lucrative project of Medicare fraud -- in
addition to sundry other favors, such as securing visas for the doctor's
overseas mistresses. Menendez's attorneys argue that the prosecution,
initiated during the Obama administration, is political payback for the New
Jerseyan bucking the former president on foreign policy issues such as
the Iran nuclear deal and Obama's rapprochement with the
Castro regime in Havana. Nonsense, say prosecutors:
"This
case is about serious questions of fact and law related to the corruption of
one of the highest elected offices in the United States government. It is not
about anonymous tips, Cuba, Iran, party politics, or the political consequences
of a conviction." Speaking of those "political
consequences," two points: First, the Justice Department says that former
Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid also lobbied on Melgen's behalf,
highlighting the political and financial ties between the Nevadan and the
convicted felon. Reid has declined to comment.
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