Sex Sells the Menendez Corruption Case
The Department of Justice certainly grabbed the headlines.
The Department of Justice certainly grabbed the headlines when they said the allegations that Sen. Robert Menendez had sex with underage prostitutes were supported with “Corroborating Evidence.” It’s funny, though, because the allegations over the sexual misconduct don’t even make it into the DOJ’s charge that Menendez was accepting bribes from his friend and eye doctor who also donated to the senator. Menendez’s lawyers tried to use the allegations of sexual misconduct as a way to [throw out the case] http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/prosecutors-claim-unmistakable-evidence-of-menendez-wrongdoing/2015/08/24/3288198e-4a9e-11e5-846d-02792f854297_story.html), proof that the DOJ would stop at nothing to convict.
“Presented with specific, corroborated allegations that defendants Menendez and Melgen had sex with underage prostitutes in the Dominican Republic, the Government responsibly and dutifully investigated those serious allegations,” the DOJ wrote in its rebuttal to Menendez’s argument. “The indictment here, of course, charges only corruption and does not include any allegations of soliciting underage prostitution. The defendants argue, however, that the indictment should be dismissed because the entire investigation was tainted by false allegations of underage prostitution — allegations they assert were likely initiated by political enemies.” On one hand, Menendez is a reasoned Democrat voice against Obama’s Iran deal. But if he is found to have had sex with minors and accepted bribes, he demonstrated he is no longer worthy to represent the American people.
Still, it’s curious to note the timing of the legal action against the senator. How many other top officials fill the halls and closets of Washington with scandal? And what constitutes a bribe? While the DOJ accuses Menendez of helping one friend, Front Page Mag says a handful of Democrat lawmakers received funds from the Iranian American Political Action Committee for their re-election campaigns — lawmakers who are now supporting the Iran nuclear deal. Are they any less corrupt than Menendez?