Bob Menendez Forces Senate To Watch While He Takes Trump-Style MAGA Martyr Trip
Bob Menendez Forces Senate To Watch While He Takes Trump-Style MAGA Martyr Trip
If they can prosecute Menendez for his (alleged) gold bars from Qatar, they can prosecute you for all your gold bars from Qatar!
Unfortunately, I can’t report that Bob Menendez has finally resigned from the Senate so he can spend more time with his multiple felony indictments. No, the senior senator from New Jersey isn’t going anywhere. Maybe you’re the one who should resign because you don’t have any indictments or souvenir gold bars. It’s like you’re not even trying.
Menendez polluted the Senate floor Tuesday with a noxious, self-aggrandizing speech where he denied any wrongdoing. Federal prosecutors’ entire case against him — the bribery charges, the corruption allegations, the moonlighting as a foreign agent — is all just the persecution of an innocent man and the orphaned gold bars he supports.
“For the government, the sky is the limit if they want to pursue you,” he said, like a common Donald Trump. He had no evidence to bolster his wild accusations — why would the Department of Justice under an honest Democratic president want to destroy another Democrat? — but he nonetheless rambled on for 20 minutes before bursting into what I’m sure were authentic tears. No one enjoys the prospect of prison.
He claimed, “almost everyone, including my friends in the press who have reported on it, haven’t read the indictment. They have only taken the government’s sensational narrative of what the accusations are as truth.” Well, I definitely recall reading the indictment and having a good laugh. One of my favorite parts, which I mentioned in my Goodreads review, is when the authorities found more than “$480,000 in cash — much of it stuffed into envelopes and hidden in clothing, closets, and a safe” in his home.
“I am however alarmed,” Menendez lamented, “that the greatest and most ardent defenders of the Constitution in this body are the most vociferous in calling for my resignation.” Yes, it is disappointing that so many senators are unaware that the Constitution clearly and plainly states that accused felons are entitled to a Senate seat for life. “They’ll deny me due process and undermine the fundamental principle in our law that in America, you are innocent until proven otherwise by a jury of your peers.”
Sweet Christ. “Due process” is about criminal and civil penalties. There’s no right to hold a position of significant authority and trust. Menendez really doesn’t understand the law. No wonder he keeps getting indicted. Even cops, who have the most enabling union on earth, are put on administrative leave during any serious investigation into their conduct. There’s no such option for elected officials — probably because it was (wrongly) assumed that they’d possess enough shame to step down in a situation like Menendez’s.
“I have received nothing — absolutely nothing — from the government of Qatar or on behalf of the government of Qatar to promote their image or their issues,” Menendez insisted, stretching the bounds of reality.
“I have criticized Qatar, as I have any other country, when I felt they were falling short of their international obligations and applauded them when they led in ways the United States and the world would commend,” Menendez said. “That give and take, that carrot and stick, that cajoling and rewarding is the essence of diplomacy.”
Yes, he considers himself a “diplomat” because he’s not simply a dancer for money. He also accepts kilos of gold and shiny watches.
Menendez launched into a melodramatic Lillian Gish gallop of whataboutism, suggesting that the Foreign Agents Restriction Act, under which he is charged, could take down any one of his colleagues. They just came for him first, a fact not at all related to his obvious (yet still alleged) guilt.
“What if (in) any of these examples that country bought sugar or rice or meat from your state?” he said. “What if that country purchased Boeing aircraft made in your state? Would that be a quid pro quo? What if you got contributions to your campaign from US entities or individuals associated with those countries? Would that be a quid pro quo?”
God, he’s pathetic. I hope this isn’t a preview of his actual legal strategy. He’s insisted that he has a reasonable explanation for all the wads of cash in his clothing, etc, but he also made a desperate request to delay his trial, which a federal judge rejected last month. The trial starts in May, and the Democratic primary is in early June. Imagine if he were to win and then get convicted before the general election! Fortunately, Democrats aren’t as into accused felons as Republican primary voters. Recent internal polling from Rep. Andy Kim’s campaign has him well ahead of New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy with Menendez managing just single digit support.
He won’t be missed.
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You are welcome to your opinion, such as it is. I certainly don't want it. "Time flies," as your name says. You are more than welcome to do the same.
The PAB predicted this. He said if the government can come after him, they can come after Menendez.