Menendez will be resigning August 20
Commenter “Nonapod” writes:
Bob Menendez is resigning from the Senate. So now we know there is an upper threshold for how much brazen venality a powerful Democrat politician is permitted, but it involves literal bars of gold being found.
That seem reasonable on the surface, but I don’t think it’s the case. Menendez was targeted, IMHO, because he strongly opposed the administration’s foreign policy – and by “the administration,” I mean both the Obama administration and the Biden administration. Otherwise I believe he would have gotten away with whatever he was doing.
I first noticed that the Obama DOJ was out to get Menendez in 2015 when Menendez opposed the Iran deal – see this, this, and this. They tried to convict him back then, unsuccessfully, but now they’ve caught their prey.
I just now noticed that Alan Dershowitz was in agreement with me back in 2015. It seems that Dershowitz also has had some questions about the current case:
Many Democrats are claiming that the recent indictment of Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., proves that the current Justice Department provides equal justice to Democrats and Republicans.
Although it’s necessary to wait for the evidence to emerge before judgment is passed on this most recent indictment, what appears so far may be closer to equal injustice.
In both the Menendez and Trump cases, prosecutors are engaging in the questionable tactic of seeking to influence the jury before trial.
The photographic display of gold bars and cash in the Menendez case is an image that will remain with everyone who saw it.
The same is true of the contrived photographic display by the Justice Department (DOJ) of allegedly classified documents spread on the floor.
This “show and tell “was produced by the DOJ and published in virtually every media outlet in the country.
Both show and tells are wrong.
Both are intended to prejudice potential jurors and witnesses and to try the case in the court of public opinion before it is subject to the adversarial process to the courts of law.
Both come close to ethically impermissible lines. And both should be opposed by all Americans who care about impartial justice for all defendants.
I haven’t followed the Menendez trial closely enough to have an opinion on his guilt or innocence. But I strongly believe that had he not been in opposition to the Democrats on foreign policy, he’d still be an unindicted senator. He will be replaced by someone more tractable, so the Democrats will lose nothing, and they get to pretend they care about ethics. Win/win for the Democrats.
It’s time the federal penal code was dramatically reduced in word count and the penalties specified therein calibrated to match the median of penalties prescribed in state codes for analogous offenses.
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We might also consider disposing of grand juries and requiring federal prosecutors obtain an information from a federal magistrate or panel of magistrates, with an adversary procedure required in some circumstances.
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Another thing we might consider would be to dissolve the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security and resort their functions between a half dozen new departments. In state and local government, the task of representing the state in court is separate from that of investigation and patrol which is commonly separate from the task of maintaining the penal system.
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I doubt the management level of the FBI or the line staff in the Washington hq is at all trustworthy. Maybe fire them all and break up the FBI into a mess of successor agencies. The Secret Service is another agency begging to be chopped up.
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Now, what do we do to institutionalize sanctions for abusive judges and prosecutors?
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Of course, nothing will be done.
Why Aug 20th? What Perk is involved by hanging on for another month?
Yes he took the bribe but what did he do In exchange thats the point thats debatable
A halal monopoly dubious weapons to egypt but more than they expected
2nd day of the convention when the vp is nominated dems would be tied
I thought it odd that New Jersey Senator Menendez had to be tried in the Southern District of New York. Funny how changes of venue were bawled as raaaaaaacccccciiiiiisssssssstttttt in the trial of Derek Chauvin in the death of Saint Floyd.
As for waiting until 20 August to resign, this portion of New Jersey law may apply:
“If the vacancy occurs more than 70 days before the next general election, the election to fill the vacancy is held at the next general November election. If the vacancy occurs within 70 days before the next general, the vacancy election is held at the second November election after the vacancy occurs.”
Source: https://www.ncsl.Org/elections-and-campaigns/vacancies-in-the-united-states-senate
This year’s presidential election is on 5 November. 70 days prior to that is 27 August. If Menendez waits past 27 August, the appointed Senator doesn’t have to face voters in this year’s election, but will have to wait until next November.
It’s a shame when my first thought of when a political player is indicted, is what are the politics behind it.
I have not figured out why Max Boot’s wife was indicted.