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Brian4Liberty
09-29-2017, 07:09 PM
Menendez corruption and bribery trial: What to know


Sitting New Jersey Democratic Senator Bob Menendez's bribery trial kicks off. Here's why it matters and how the verdict could impact Congress' agenda.
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Menendez’s corruption trial began earlier this month in Newark, N.J. He has pleaded not guilty to 18 counts of fraud and bribery.
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What is Menendez accused of?

Menendez, 63, is accused of accepting a plethora of campaign donations, gifts and vacations from Salomon Melgen, a Florida ophthalmologist.

In return, Menendez used his position to lobby on behalf of Melgen’s business interests, according to prosecutors. A former health administrator testified that a Menendez staffer used his boss’s name to push for the settlement of a multimillion-dollar Medicare dispute involving Melgen.

Melgen allegedly directed more than $750,000 in campaign contributions to entities that supported Menendez, according to the indictment, which said they were inducements to get Menendez to use his influence on Melgen's behalf. Prosecutors have said Menendez tried to hide the gifts, which were part of a larger bribery agreement.

Melgen also paid for Menendez and his girlfriend to stay for three nights at a Parisian hotel where rooms typically cost about $1,500 per night and allowed the senator the use of his private jet, according to prosecutors.

Federal prosecutors said that Menendez “sold his office for a lifestyle that he couldn’t afford.”

The indictment also alleges Menendez pressured State Department officials to give visas to three young women described as Melgen's girlfriends.

Is there anything else to know about Salomon Melgen?

Melgen, 63, was convicted of 67 counts of health care fraud four months ago in what the Palm Beach Post called one of the biggest Medicare fraud cases in the U.S.

During that case, prosecutors argued that Melgen, who was born in the Dominican Republic, robbed Medicare of as much as $105 million, according to the newspaper. His sentencing has been delayed until after this trial.

Aside from Menendez, Melgen has given significant amounts of money to a variety of Democratic lawmakers, according to public records.

What happens if Menendez is convicted?

If Menendez is convicted and goes to prison, Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., would pick a replacement.
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More: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/09/28/menendez-corruption-and-bribery-trial-what-to-know.html

Brian4Liberty
09-29-2017, 07:20 PM
Another corrupt and compromised Senator, just like McCain.


Robert "Bob" Menendez is a controversial Democratic senator from the state of New Jersey who has been the focus of a long Justice Department corruption investigation. Since 2013, he has chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, assuming leadership of the panel after Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) left the Senate to become secretary of state.
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Menendez’s indictment led many commentators on the right, like the Wall Street Journal’s Bret Stephens [Neocon], to question whether the charges where related to Menendez’s opposition to President Obama’s negotiations with Iran.[9] Fox New’s Howard Kurtz has said that such pundits “don’t know what they’re talking about.” He added: “The Justice Department has a solid case against Robert Menendez, despite the conspiracy theories that the indictment amounts to political payback.”[10]

According to the New York Times, Menendez raised $1.6 million for his legal defense in spring 2015, a significant portion of which came from “America’s most prominent pro-Netanyahu billionaires.” The Time identified these donors as Sheldon Adelson, Haim Saban, and “members of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.”[11] A July 2015 Politico report also stated that Menendez’s legal defense backers included “pro-Israel hawks and political heavyweights” such as “New Jersey power broker George Norcross and New York Daily News owner Mort Zuckerman.”[12]

Menendez is one of the Senate's most vocal and active proponents of sanctioning Iran over its nuclear enrichment program, which Menendez has insisted—against the judgment of the U.S. intelligence community—is explicitly designed to produce nuclear weapons. He has also been an important ally of the controversial People’s Mujahedin of Iran (Mojahedin-e Khalq-e Iran, or MEK), an Islamic- and Marxist-inspired militant organization that advocates the overthrow of the Islamic Republic of Iran and for years was listed by the State Department as a terrorist organization. The Intercept has reported that between 2013 and 2015, Menendez was the largest recipient of money from donors affiliated with the MEK, having received more than $25,000 during the period.[13]

With Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL), a fellow hardliner caricatured by one critic as "AIPAC's million-dollar baby,"[14] Menendez co-authored a 2011 sanctions package that effectively cut Iran's central bank off from the rest of the world, making it exceedingly difficult for the country to sell its oil abroad and leading to a rapid downturn in the Iranian economy.[15] In a 2013 speech to the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee's annual policy conference, Menendez—who is the author of several other sanctions bills—bragged that the sanctions he had designed with Kirk were "the most crippling in world history."[16]

Menendez opposed the nuclear negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 and the comprehensive agreement reached in July 2015.
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Even after an interim deal was reached, Menendez—working again in collaboration with Kirk and AIPAC[19]—vowed to seek new sanctions as an "insurance policy" in case Iran reneged on the deal, which experts said was unlikely.[20]

Menendez was also the co-author, with leading Senate hawk Lindsey Graham (R-SC), of an early 2013 joint resolution calling for stronger sanctions enforcement against Iran. In addition to sanctions—a longtime preoccupation for Menendez—the resolution included language calling on the United States to "provide diplomatic, military, and economic support to the Government of Israel" if Israel "is compelled to take military action in self-defense" against Iran. Graham clarified that the "self-defense" clause was designed to apply even to a "preemptive" Israeli strike on Iran, leading critics to deride the resolution as a "backdoor to war" that would "serve as an official announcement of U.S. policy to support any Israeli strike, whether the Obama administration had been previously consulted or not."[21]
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Menendez also stated in August 2015 that the United States should support Israel if it decided to launch military strikes against Iran. "We should authorize now the means for Israel to address the Iranian threat on their own in the event that Iran accelerates its program and to counter Iranian perceptions that our own threat to use force is not credible," he proclaimed.[25]

...Menendez emerged in 2013 as one of the administration's chief congressional supporters for launching a strike on the country after the Syrian regime was accused of deploying chemical weapons against civilians in its grinding civil war against numerous rebel factions.
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Menendez—who was the Senate's top recipient of "pro-Israel" campaign donations in the 2012 cycle[29] and whose home state is home to the influential NORPAC lobby—is a staunch advocate for a "pro-Israel" U.S. Middle East policy. "There can never be any daylight between the United States and Israel," Menendez told the 2013 AIPAC policy conference. "Not ever." Praising the lobby for its influence on U.S. foreign policy, Menendez said, "Sometimes I know you wonder whether your advocacy makes a difference. It does," he added, pointing to his own hawkish record on Iran before criticizing the Palestinian Authority for seeking member state recognition by the United Nations. "Palestinian membership in any U.N. organization, whether it's the IAEA or the World Health Organization or any other U.N. organization could have a ripple effect that will only serve to set back the peace process and potentially do grave damage to America's role in the U.N. system," Menendez claimed. "The only way to achieve a true, lasting peace for the Palestinian people is through comprehensive negotiations and dialogue with the state of Israel."[30]
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More: http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/menendez_robert/

Raginfridus
09-29-2017, 07:51 PM
https://youtu.be/SS9uDh3eG8k

kcchiefs6465
09-29-2017, 07:56 PM
https://youtu.be/SS9uDh3eG8k
Got about twelve seconds in and had to turn it off.

Any particular part I should watch?

timosman
09-29-2017, 08:10 PM
Medicare gets over $100M in bills from a single office and this does not trigger a review? Who are we kidding?:rolleyes:

Raginfridus
09-29-2017, 08:41 PM
Got about twelve seconds in and had to turn it off.

Any particular part I should watch?Menendez assures Zionazis that he's "an unyielding moral compass that bears due East."

He goes on for another 5 minutes to assure his masters that he'll never cut Israeli funding. That's right Bob, you'll never cut Israeli funding, but with any luck your capture will cause your "friends" at AIPAC to make mistakes.

Swordsmyth
10-11-2017, 09:43 PM
Hours after the prosecution rested in its federal corruption case (http://www.politico.com/states/new-jersey/story/2017/10/11/prosecution-rests-in-menendez-trial-114973) against U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez and co-defendant Salomon Melgen, Judge William Walls cast doubt Wednesday on a theory that’s central to its case. At the same time, Walls said he will allow the jury to decide whether Menendez filed false reports with the U.S. Senate, a charge seen by many as the toughest to beat.



At issue is the “stream of benefits” theory of bribery, which defense attorneys argue was invalidated by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2016 decision (http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/28/us/politics/supreme-court-bob-mcdonnell-virginia.html) overturning the corruption conviction of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell. The high court's unanimous ruling narrowed the type of conduct that can be used to prosecute for corruption.
“I’m particularly concerned about stream of benefits. And we’ll see,” Walls told prosecutor Peter Koski after about three hours of arguments Wednesday afternoon. The arguments were held outside of the jury's presence.
If Walls rules the theory was invalidated in the McDonnell ruling, he could decide to toss out much of the case before it reaches the jury.

More at: http://www.politico.com/states/new-jersey/story/2017/10/11/menendez-judge-casts-doubt-on-key-prosecution-theory-114992

timosman
10-11-2017, 11:14 PM
This is not fucked up at all.

timosman
10-12-2017, 12:09 AM
How do you comport with something?:confused:

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/28/us/politics/supreme-court-bob-mcdonnell-virginia.html


A more limited interpretation of the term ‘official act’ leaves ample room for prosecuting corruption, while comporting with the text of the statute and the precedent of this court.”

Are they fucking with us?:rolleyes:

Swordsmyth
10-12-2017, 12:14 AM
How do you comport with something?:confused:

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/28/us/politics/supreme-court-bob-mcdonnell-virginia.html



Are they $#@!ing with us?:rolleyes:

comport (kəm-pôrtˈ, -pōrtˈ)►


v.
To conduct or behave (oneself) in a particular manner: Comport yourself with dignity.

v.
To agree, correspond, or harmonize: a foreign policy that comports with the principles of democracy.

timosman
10-12-2017, 12:35 AM
comport (kəm-pôrtˈ, -pōrtˈ)►


v.
To conduct or behave (oneself) in a particular manner: Comport yourself with dignity.

v.
To agree, correspond, or harmonize: a foreign policy that comports with the principles of democracy.


They are fucking with us.:cool:


Because the jury was not correctly instructed on the meaning of “official act,” it may have convicted Governor McDonnell for conduct that is not unlawful.

timosman
10-16-2017, 08:42 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFZ0O3ODCec

http://www.politico.com/states/new-jersey/story/2017/10/16/judge-deals-blow-to-menendez-115068

Brian4Liberty
10-16-2017, 09:05 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFZ0O3ODCec

http://www.politico.com/states/new-jersey/story/2017/10/16/judge-deals-blow-to-menendez-115068

So the Judge is hoping that the jury will not convict, and he can avoid taking the blame. If the jury does convict, he can just reverse it anyway. Ball is in the juries court...

Swordsmyth
11-13-2017, 08:21 PM
The jury in the bribery trial of Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez told the judge on Monday it couldn't reach a verdict on any of the 18 counts against them. The judge told the jurors to "clear your heads" and return Tuesday. (Nov. 13)

Video at: https://www.yahoo.com/news/menendez-leaves-court-jury-deadlocks-205931217.html

Brian4Liberty
11-13-2017, 08:39 PM
The jury in the bribery trial of Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez told the judge on Monday it couldn't reach a verdict on any of the 18 counts against them. The judge told the jurors to "clear your heads" and return Tuesday. (Nov. 13)

Video at: https://www.yahoo.com/news/menendez-leaves-court-jury-deadlocks-205931217.html

He'll probably walk. Doesn't take much to find a juror or two that are hard-core Democrat partisans, or people susceptible to bribery or threats.

enhanced_deficit
11-13-2017, 10:25 PM
As long as ke keeps kissing Israeli lobby's boots, he'll be fine.

Even Obama targetted him for political purposes... same way he targetted daughter of his Pastor Wright for "corruption" or lawyer of Miriam Carey.

AZJoe
11-16-2017, 04:45 AM
Why so scant coverage of the trial by MSM?

timosman
11-16-2017, 07:19 AM
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/11/6th_full_day_of_menendez_trial_deliberations_ends. html


Nov 15


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIfEvhexFUQ

NEWARK -- After the seventh day of deliberations in U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez's federal corruption trial came and went without a verdict, many jurors departed the fourth-floor courtroom Wednesday looking visibly fatigued and with their heads hung.

The seven women and five men seated in the jury room of U.S. District Judge William H. Walls' courtroom began their deliberations late in the afternoon of Monday, Nov. 6, after nine weeks of testimony and arguments in the case of the New Jersey Democrat and his co-defendant, Florida ophthalmologist Salomon Melgen.

Last Monday afternoon, with an alternate replacing a dismissed juror on the fourth full day of deliberations, the foreman sent Walls a note indicating the jury was deadlocked and asked for guidance.

Walls refused to declare a mistrial, and sent the jury back to continue deliberating, sparking a backlash from defense attorneys who were concerned the judge was trying to force a verdict.

Speaking to reporters outside the courthouse Wednesday after the jury was sent home, Menendez said he had never wavered in asserting his innocence.

"I appreciate that there are clearly jurors who are asserting my innocence as well in the jury room," he said. "I appreciate the work, the deliberations after nine weeks of trial and now the second week of deliberations -- of the attentiveness the jurors are showing to the charge that they took.

"I hope that they come to a verdict across the board of innocent, and I look forward to tomorrow, hopefully, being that day."

It's not unheard of for deliberations in federal corruption cases to stretch dozens of hours.

In 1981, jurors in Newark spent 28 hours in a jury room -- albeit over a condensed two days -- before convicting then U.S. Sen. Harrison "Pete" Williams of bribery, according to the New York Times.

Trial is scheduled to resume in federal court in Newark on Monday, with dismissed juror replaced by an alternate juror.

In 2008, a jury of six men and six women spent six days deliberating before returning guilty verdicts against former Newark mayor Sharpe James and his one-time girlfriend, Tamika Riley, in a real-estate fraud case involving city-owned land.

Jurors in the 2010 trial of former Ridgefield mayor Anthony Suarez deliberated for four days before acquitting him of taking bribes from a government informant.

In the event the jury again indicates it is unable to reach a verdict, Walls has agreed to poll the jury's foreman to determine whether it is hopelessly deadlocked, and if not, give jurors the option of returning a partial verdict on only some of the counts.

He has yet to decide whether to explicitly instruct the jurors that a hung jury is a legitimate outcome, as defense attorneys have requested.

Menendez and Melgen are accused by the Justice Department of trading government favors for six-figure campaign contributions, luxury hotel stays and private plane flights. The senator is also accused of concealing from the Senate Melgen's gifts by intentionally omitting them from his annual disclosure forms.

Evelyn Arroyo-Maultsby, the juror excused from the panel last week, told reporters the jury was split on whether to convict Menendez and Melgen of the bribery conspiracy, and that she was the only juror at that time prepared to acquit Menendez of making false statements on his Senate disclosure forms.

Deliberations are expected to resume at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow.

Swordsmyth
11-16-2017, 02:59 PM
Judge Declares Mistrial In Bob Menendez Bribery Casehttp://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-16/judge-declares-mistrial-bob-menendez-bribery-case

specsaregood
11-16-2017, 03:12 PM
Judge Declares Mistrial In Bob Menendez Bribery Casehttp://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-16/judge-declares-mistrial-bob-menendez-bribery-case


https://youtu.be/rTFV78kON9o

Brian4Liberty
11-16-2017, 04:34 PM
Judge Declares Mistrial In Bob Menendez Bribery Casehttp://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-16/judge-declares-mistrial-bob-menendez-bribery-case

A mundane would have been convicted in one day. With a conviction rate of 95-99% in Federal Courts, Menendez must be totally innocent beyond any shadow of a doubt.

Swordsmyth
11-16-2017, 06:05 PM
Senate ethics panel resumes Menendez probe after judge declares mistrialhttp://thehill.com/homenews/senate/360809-senate-ethics-panel-resumes-menendez-probe-after-judge-declares-mistrial

timosman
11-16-2017, 06:28 PM
Senate ethics panel resumes Menendez probe after judge declares mistrialhttp://thehill.com/homenews/senate/360809-senate-ethics-panel-resumes-menendez-probe-after-judge-declares-mistrial

http://thehill.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumb_small_article/public/menendez_1.jpg