If The Democrats Don't Dump Menendez They'll Deserve What's Headed Their Way-- A Loss Of The New Jersey Senate Seat

Bad optics

This week the biggest newspaper in New Jersey, the Newark Star-Ledger endorsed corporate multimillionaire Democrat Phil Murphy for governor-- but what a crappy endorsement! "New Jersey deserves so much better," True enough, but what a headline for an endorsement! "Someday," wrote the editors, "somewhere over the rainbow, New Jersey voters will have a choice between two impressive candidates for governor. But not this year. Our choice is Democrat Phil Murphy, by default... Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, the Republican candidate, is the worst nominee of either major party to come along in decades. Her knowledge of the issues is paper-thin, she's failed utterly to separate herself from the disastrous legacy of Gov. Chris Christie." Murphy's net worth is estimated to be several hundred million dollars, not the kind of politician I think of when I think of someone who understands the aspirations and travails of working families. But that's what the Democratic Party has turned itself into.

Quinnipiac released a new New Jersey poll Wednesday. Murphy is leading Guadagno 57-37% among likely voters. What kills Guadagno is what is killing Republicans everywhere-- Murphy is beating her 52-39% among independents. Furthermore she's been pulled down by Christie's and Trump's low approval ratings, respectively by 15% and 33%.

But Trump and Christie aren't the only politicians hated by New Jersey voters. Corrupt Democrat Robert Menendez is a disaster. Voters disapprove 49-31% of the job U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez is doing and 59% say he doesn't deserve to be reelected next year. Only 19% say he does deserve reelection.

Now remember, Menendez, who has always been one of the sleaziest guys in Congress has been charged with using his office to trade official favors for Salomon Melgen (a co-defendant), in exchange for $750,000 in campaign contributions and many thousands more in hotel stays at least half a dozen private jet flights. Menendez hasn't been charged with having sex with underage prostitutes in Melgen’s house in the Dominican Republican but those accusations are hovering over the trial. The trial has featured Menendez staffers willing to lie for him. Yesterday, the NY Times reported on a top Menendez aide, Robert Kelly, who just spouted incredible bullshit meant to help Menendez.

The aide, Robert Kelly, who has worked for Mr. Menendez since 2006 and is now his deputy chief of staff for operations, said in Federal District Court in Newark that he did not think the senator needed to disclose the flights, or nights in a luxury hotel room in Paris because the accommodations came courtesy of his friend Dr. Salomon Melgen.

“This was my understanding of the friendship exception at the time,” said Mr. Kelly, who had filled out Mr. Menendez’s financial disclosure forms and submitted them to be reviewed by the senator since 2010.

Mr. Kelly testified that Dr. Melgen called Mr. Menendez multiple times a week for years “to ask how his friend was doing.” He said that together, the doctor and the senator would act “very friendly, jovial and lighthearted.”

Mr. Menendez, a Democrat representing New Jersey, and Dr. Melgen, a wealthy eye doctor from Florida, face charges of bribery and fraud related to the gifts. Both men have denied any wrongdoing.

...In a tense exchange, Ms. Abrishami asked Mr. Kelly if Mr. Menendez’s 2007 form was accurate. He replied that he had not seen that form, so she showed it on the screen, revealing that Mr. Menendez had again said that he had not received any reportable gifts, despite having flown on Dr. Melgen’s plane. Around the courtroom, several of Mr. Menendez’s supporters variously sighed and hung their heads. The senator himself, stoic throughout most of the trial, chuckled.

Mr. Kelly testified that he had “scanned” the financial disclosure form rules and was “vaguely familiar” about what types of gifts could go unreported. Ms. Abrishami [prosector] went through the rules and pointed out to the jury that the word “friendship” never appeared.

“I haven’t read them word for word,” Mr. Kelly said.

Judge William H. Walls cut in.

“You were preparing these forms without more than scanning them, is that what you’re telling the jury?” Judge Walls asked.

Ms. Abrishami then stressed, over objections from Mr. Menendez’s lawyer, that the burden of truth on the senator’s disclosure forms fell not on Mr. Kelly, but on the senator.

Again, New Jersey deserves better. What a cesspool!

Not many politicians want to be seen with Menendez