"Bob Menendez has been a dedicated public servant and is always fighting hard for the people of New Jersey. He has a right to due process and a fair trial." That was the response of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to the indictment of Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) on Friday. Federal prosecutors accused Menendez and his wife, Nadine, of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for using his official position to benefit the Government of Egypt and others. Schumer's description of Menendez as a "dedicated public servant" who is "always fighting hard for the people of New Jersey" is belied by the granular evidence of brazen corruption laid out by prosecutors in the indictment.
I Menendez is my senator, and I want him to resign. I will be calling his office today to tell him he has lost my vote and I will call my other senator, Corey Booker, and tell him I want him to encourage Menendez to resign.
We have a 5X elected sheriff under felony indictment on gun charges and I think he should resign. But he refuses. He was on leave because that’s apparently policy for police officers during an investigation into their actions. He has been showing up at police functions and has now decided to take himself off leave and go back to work because he says that owes it to those who elected him. Really. Having an indicted person in charge of a police department stepping back in to run it is just so odious. I think the same thing applies to Menéndez. He not only has this indictment, he has an earlier one from 2015. The smell emanating from this indictment I threatens to foil the Democratic Party.
On the other hand, I have always thought it a shame that Al Franken resigned over allegations but no indictments. I remember Senator Kirsten Gillebrand was one of the big mouths demanding Franken resign. Where is her big mouth now?
Speaking as a New Jerseyan and as someone who typically votes Democrat, Bob Menendez should resign and more members of the Senate should call on him to do so. Both New Jersey politics and the Democratic Party are, ahem, prone to disappointment, but Menendez's continued holding of his office risks further damage to people's faith in these institutions. Not to mention he might be, you know, a criminal.
Menendez is a crook and needs to go! Fetterman is right and if Schumer can't get his head around what action would be appropriate re: Bob Da Crook, he needs to get the heave-ho too!
As a former constituent of Al Franken I continue to be disgusted beyond words at the behavior that is being tolerated in the time since he was pressured to resign. His transgressions wouldn’t be on the radar today. I appreciate the opportunity to use his case to highlight this decline in our civilization.
Menendez needs to resign. Like, yesterday. The longer he stays, the more damage he does to his own political party and it might even be possible that he could put a safe Democrat Senate seat into play in the November 2024 election.
After learning the details of this drama enacted by Robert and Nadine Menendez, I immediately communicated to my Governor, Phil Murphy, my choice of a brilliant replacement to the US Senate. Through the many years that Menendez has been my Senator I have praised him for much of his work and his ability to articulate important issues in NJ. BUT, I have no reservation in agreeing that he should resign and save us all another highly publicized agonizing corruption scandal.
A random thought: Senate Dems pushed Franken out because most of them probably didn't force themselves on women, so they could take the high ground. But frankly, I think most of them know they're getting money under the table, just not as blatantly as Menendez. And I'm saying this as a lifelong Democratic voter. How do you become a millionaire serving in Congress? It's not the salaries. See: Pelosi and the stock market.
I was a Minnesota resident and Franken supporter back in those days. It was the most baseless attack and an outrage that Democrats joined in before seeing any credible evidence that this occurred. I had my photo taken a few times with Al Franken and in classic fashion we stood with arms around each other. The same pose most take when asking for a photo. Al never failed to talk about his wife, Franni.
When I was at a campaign party for Al, I asked his wife if she knew where the bathroom was for guests. She took me by the hand through the crowd and pointed it out. That’s how they are. They are warm, genuine people. But I suppose a republican would have seen us and reported us as lesbians. 🙄
Republicans don’t seem to have people with any level of warmth.
Democrats should have stood against these typical right wing attackers. If credible evidence came forward, then they are obligated to take appropriate action. If only Republicans did this, they’d be cleaned out.
People like Menendez pull the party down and need to go. His crimes are very egregious.
Menendez has always been shady, and one wonders how much of this (allegedly) illicit money trail leads back to other leading Senators. Dems can't remain silent on this and then claim the moral high ground when conservatives + GOP types (take your pick) act lawlessly. They will be complicit with this low standard if they don't take action.
The loss of Al Franken from the Senate still saddens me. The voters of Minnesota should have made that decision. But the same logic should apply to Menendez - the voters of NJ should decide during his next election, and in the meantime, he should be stripped of as much power as possible.
If only there was a vacancy on the Supreme Court. If Menendez could be moved to the Supremes, the integrity of the Senate could be improved. After all, in the SCt, corruption doesn’t matter…
What strikes me is the degree to which being a member of the old boy's club influences Schumer's actions. If Menendez were a progressive he'd have been given the boot long ago. Another reason why I vote only reluctantly for Democrats.
Thank you, Judd, and PopInfo, for reminding us of the complete hypocrisy of many of our congressional representatives. As a democratic voter, this unethical behavior is white-hot infuriating, and the grossly unfair justice system that works for the rich and power-hungry and destroys average citizens, constantly
toys with our ability to process the cruelty and thievery.
These so-called leaders continue to behave as if they are still in high school, torturing and bullying the weak, competing on the most shallow of levels, and then sneaking out behind the school to smoke and get high. These people need to grow up, fulfill their constitutional oaths, or get the hell out of having ANY control over the lives of our fellow Americans. Fuck them!
I miss Al Franken. A thoughtful public servant, very observant guy, with the gifts of both silliness and honor, who continues to provide astute analysis of congressional goings-on with his podcasts. Thanks, Al.
I’m so glad you pointed out the hypocrisy of Schumer . . . Schumer who encouraged Gillibrand, Kamala Harris, Claire McKaskill, and others to gang up on Franken--not because of his comedy routines--but because HE OUT SHINED THEM ALL. Schumer--the smug hypocrite who stood with the Trumps as they placated conservative Jews with relocation of the US Embassy, AS ISRAELI SOLDIERS OPENED FIRE AGAINST UNARMED, PALESTINIAN PROTESTORS, and PUTIN, as a part of the corrupt exchange, PERSONALLY DROVE A TRUCK IN THE CONVOY THAT INVADED CRIMEA.
Schumer is a mealy-mouth, smug, do-nothing who plays both sides for his own reward.
And, yes, Menendez needs to resign; he is an outright CROOK AND TRAITOR.
Bob Menendez, Al Franken, and the presumption of innocence
I Menendez is my senator, and I want him to resign. I will be calling his office today to tell him he has lost my vote and I will call my other senator, Corey Booker, and tell him I want him to encourage Menendez to resign.
We have a 5X elected sheriff under felony indictment on gun charges and I think he should resign. But he refuses. He was on leave because that’s apparently policy for police officers during an investigation into their actions. He has been showing up at police functions and has now decided to take himself off leave and go back to work because he says that owes it to those who elected him. Really. Having an indicted person in charge of a police department stepping back in to run it is just so odious. I think the same thing applies to Menéndez. He not only has this indictment, he has an earlier one from 2015. The smell emanating from this indictment I threatens to foil the Democratic Party.
On the other hand, I have always thought it a shame that Al Franken resigned over allegations but no indictments. I remember Senator Kirsten Gillebrand was one of the big mouths demanding Franken resign. Where is her big mouth now?
Speaking as a New Jerseyan and as someone who typically votes Democrat, Bob Menendez should resign and more members of the Senate should call on him to do so. Both New Jersey politics and the Democratic Party are, ahem, prone to disappointment, but Menendez's continued holding of his office risks further damage to people's faith in these institutions. Not to mention he might be, you know, a criminal.
Menendez is a crook and needs to go! Fetterman is right and if Schumer can't get his head around what action would be appropriate re: Bob Da Crook, he needs to get the heave-ho too!
As a former constituent of Al Franken I continue to be disgusted beyond words at the behavior that is being tolerated in the time since he was pressured to resign. His transgressions wouldn’t be on the radar today. I appreciate the opportunity to use his case to highlight this decline in our civilization.
Menendez needs to resign. Like, yesterday. The longer he stays, the more damage he does to his own political party and it might even be possible that he could put a safe Democrat Senate seat into play in the November 2024 election.
Re the “hidden” cash and gold bars, why no reference anywhere, including in the indictment, of tax evasion? Did I just miss this?
After learning the details of this drama enacted by Robert and Nadine Menendez, I immediately communicated to my Governor, Phil Murphy, my choice of a brilliant replacement to the US Senate. Through the many years that Menendez has been my Senator I have praised him for much of his work and his ability to articulate important issues in NJ. BUT, I have no reservation in agreeing that he should resign and save us all another highly publicized agonizing corruption scandal.
Good work. Now
Rank and file Democrats need to press their Democratic Senators to call for Menendez to resign.
A random thought: Senate Dems pushed Franken out because most of them probably didn't force themselves on women, so they could take the high ground. But frankly, I think most of them know they're getting money under the table, just not as blatantly as Menendez. And I'm saying this as a lifelong Democratic voter. How do you become a millionaire serving in Congress? It's not the salaries. See: Pelosi and the stock market.
I was a Minnesota resident and Franken supporter back in those days. It was the most baseless attack and an outrage that Democrats joined in before seeing any credible evidence that this occurred. I had my photo taken a few times with Al Franken and in classic fashion we stood with arms around each other. The same pose most take when asking for a photo. Al never failed to talk about his wife, Franni.
When I was at a campaign party for Al, I asked his wife if she knew where the bathroom was for guests. She took me by the hand through the crowd and pointed it out. That’s how they are. They are warm, genuine people. But I suppose a republican would have seen us and reported us as lesbians. 🙄
Republicans don’t seem to have people with any level of warmth.
Democrats should have stood against these typical right wing attackers. If credible evidence came forward, then they are obligated to take appropriate action. If only Republicans did this, they’d be cleaned out.
People like Menendez pull the party down and need to go. His crimes are very egregious.
Menendez has always been shady, and one wonders how much of this (allegedly) illicit money trail leads back to other leading Senators. Dems can't remain silent on this and then claim the moral high ground when conservatives + GOP types (take your pick) act lawlessly. They will be complicit with this low standard if they don't take action.
The loss of Al Franken from the Senate still saddens me. The voters of Minnesota should have made that decision. But the same logic should apply to Menendez - the voters of NJ should decide during his next election, and in the meantime, he should be stripped of as much power as possible.
If only there was a vacancy on the Supreme Court. If Menendez could be moved to the Supremes, the integrity of the Senate could be improved. After all, in the SCt, corruption doesn’t matter…
What strikes me is the degree to which being a member of the old boy's club influences Schumer's actions. If Menendez were a progressive he'd have been given the boot long ago. Another reason why I vote only reluctantly for Democrats.
Thank you, Judd, and PopInfo, for reminding us of the complete hypocrisy of many of our congressional representatives. As a democratic voter, this unethical behavior is white-hot infuriating, and the grossly unfair justice system that works for the rich and power-hungry and destroys average citizens, constantly
toys with our ability to process the cruelty and thievery.
These so-called leaders continue to behave as if they are still in high school, torturing and bullying the weak, competing on the most shallow of levels, and then sneaking out behind the school to smoke and get high. These people need to grow up, fulfill their constitutional oaths, or get the hell out of having ANY control over the lives of our fellow Americans. Fuck them!
I miss Al Franken. A thoughtful public servant, very observant guy, with the gifts of both silliness and honor, who continues to provide astute analysis of congressional goings-on with his podcasts. Thanks, Al.
I’m so glad you pointed out the hypocrisy of Schumer . . . Schumer who encouraged Gillibrand, Kamala Harris, Claire McKaskill, and others to gang up on Franken--not because of his comedy routines--but because HE OUT SHINED THEM ALL. Schumer--the smug hypocrite who stood with the Trumps as they placated conservative Jews with relocation of the US Embassy, AS ISRAELI SOLDIERS OPENED FIRE AGAINST UNARMED, PALESTINIAN PROTESTORS, and PUTIN, as a part of the corrupt exchange, PERSONALLY DROVE A TRUCK IN THE CONVOY THAT INVADED CRIMEA.
Schumer is a mealy-mouth, smug, do-nothing who plays both sides for his own reward.
And, yes, Menendez needs to resign; he is an outright CROOK AND TRAITOR.