Menendez - THE RIDGEWOOD BLOG.

Posted on October 16, 2017 October 16, 2017

Judge’s Decision in Menendez Case Could Legalize Bribery

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October 16,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Federal prosecutors argue that if the Menendez case gets tossed it would legalize bribery of public officials. Faced with the grim prospect that a federal court judge may throw out some of the charges against Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez based on his reading of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, federal prosecutors warned over the weekend that such a move would not only harm their case against Menendez but also “jettison the vast majority of bribery prosecutions” and “broadly legalize pay-to-play politics.”

Federal prosecutors raised those concerns after U.S. District Court Judge William H. Walls suggested that the overturning of the conviction of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell last year, the high court also invalidated the “stream of benefits” theory of bribery that prosecutors have used to build cases against Democrat Menendez and other public officials.

Posted on April 14, 2015 April 13, 2015

Menendez: Obama Thinks ‘If You Open Your Hands to Dictators, That They Will Unclench Their Fists’

April 13, 2015 – 7:33 AM

(CNSNews.com) – Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) says President Obama is wrong to “give the Cubans just about everything they want” without getting “something significant in return.”

“I think the president has a misguided calculation that if you open your hands to dictators that they will unclench their fists,” Menendez told “Fox News Sunday.”

“And while Raul Castro may have said some nice things about President Obama, at the same time, just last month, we had 600 arrests of innocent people inside of Cuba who were detained, many political activists and human rights activists who were not allowed to leave the country to go to the Panama Summit.

https://cnsnews.com/news/article/susan-jones/menendez-obama-thinks-if-you-open-your-hands-dictators-they-will-unclench?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=marketing&utm_term=facebook&utm_content=facebook&utm_campaign=n-menendez-cuba-obama

Posted on March 16, 2015 March 16, 2015

Menendez praised in rabbi’s full-page NY Times ad

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Menendez praised in rabbi’s full-page NY Times ad
By Jesse Byrnes

Self-described “America’s Rabbi” Shmuley Boteach and his group have taken out a full-page advertisement in Saturday’s New York Times praising Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) as “the scourge of tyrants everywhere.”

The ad mentions the senior Hispanic politician’s “audacity to speak truth to power” and willingness “to reach across party lines on issues of conscience,” according to a press release provided Friday afternoon.

Menendez gets praised in the ad on two issues where the ranking Senate Foreign Relations Committee member has been critical of the Obama administration: on moves to normalize relations with Cuba and hopes to secure a deal over Iran’s nuclear program. The administration hopes to strike a preliminary deal on Iran by March 24.

On Iran, the ad says Menendez “stood up for the American and Israeli people against the Administration’s rush to conclude a deal with Iran that would endanger the security of both nations.”

“Senator Menendez is the vital, bi-partisan link against a deal with the world’s foremost state sponsor of terrorism that would leave Iran with a one-year breakout capability toward a nuclear bomb,” the ad reads.

The rabbi’s ads have previously caused pushback.

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/235713-menendez-praised-in-rabbis-full-page-ny-times-ad

Posted on January 5, 2015 January 5, 2015

Menendez says Senate likely won’t confirm U.S. ambassador to Cuba

Menendez says Senate likely won’t confirm U.S. ambassador to Cuba

WASHINGTON — President Obama will find it “very difficult” to get an ambassador to Cuba confirmed, outgoing U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) said today. (Salant/NJ.com)

https://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/01/menendez_says_senate_likely_wont_confirm_us_ambassador_to_cuba.html#incart_river

Posted on December 18, 2014 December 17, 2014

Menendez, Clinton State Dept. Helped Secure Visa for Fugitive Banker’s Daughter

file photo by Boyd Loving Ridgewood REORG

Menendez, Clinton State Dept. Helped Secure Visa for Fugitive Banker’s Daughter

By Jonathan Dienst. Kevin Nious and Joe Valiquette

New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez interceded on behalf of an Ecuadorian woman who was banned from traveling to the U.S. because of allegations she had engaged in visa fraud.

The woman, Estafania Isaias, is the daughter of a fugitive from Ecuador convicted in absentia for bank fraud and whose relatives in Florida made significant campaign donations to the New Jersey Democrat’s 2012 campaign and the Democratic Party.

Federal Probe Into NJ Sen. Menendez Is Widening

Current and former U.S. government officials tell NBC 4 New York that Estefania Isaias was barred from traveling to the U.S. in 2007 because she allegedly lied on visa applications to bring immigrant women to the U.S. to work as maids at her parents’ mansion in Coral Gables, Fla.

U.S. officials alleged Estefania Isaias had falsely claimed the women were her personal business assistants. Sources familiar with the matter said U.S. consular officials in Ecuador categorized her alleged wrongdoing as a form of “human smuggling.”

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/investigations/Senator-Robert-Menendez-clinton-state-department-Ecuadorian-Isaias-Brothers-Visa-Estefania-285980841.html

Posted on January 27, 2014 January 27, 2014

Reader says Menendez always seems willing to align his votes with the highest bidders

file photo Ridgewood Reorg

Reader says Menendez always seems willing to align his votes with the highest bidders

I was in Ecuador last year and this issue came up again and again. The people of Ecuador lost billions while a small group with insider knowledge profited and found refuge in Florida. I am not surprised that Menendez is under investigation as he always seems willing to align his votes with the highest bidders.

Google Menendez and AIPAC campaign donations and you will see perhaps why Mr Menendez is leading efforts to sabotage talks with Iran.

Posted on January 24, 2014 January 24, 2014

Menendez challenges FBI probe report

file photo by Boyd Loving

Menendez challenges FBI probe report
By Julian Pecquet

The office of Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) is denying a report that he’s under FBI investigation for allegedly helping a pair of fugitive bankers from Ecuador.

NBC 4 New York reported Thursday that the bureau is probing whether the chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations committee pressured the Obama administration to keep brothers William and Roberto Isaias from being expelled back home, where they’re wanted for embezzlement. A spokeswoman for Menendez called the allegations “outlandish.”

“Our office works each year with literally hundreds of individuals and families from across the country who are seeking help with the immigration process,” Menendez’s communications director Tricia Enright said in an email. “We review each and every request we receive, and if we feel any inquiry is appropriate, we make it.