{"id":2046073,"date":"2023-09-27T08:14:02","date_gmt":"2023-09-27T12:14:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-ignored-bob-menendezs-corruption-until-he-was-no-longer-useful\/"},"modified":"2023-09-27T08:18:26","modified_gmt":"2023-09-27T12:18:26","slug":"democrats-ignored-bob-menendezs-corruption-until-he-was-no-longer-useful","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-ignored-bob-menendezs-corruption-until-he-was-no-longer-useful\/","title":{"rendered":"Democrats turned a blind eye to Bob Menendez&#8217;s corruption until he became irrelevant."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdemocrats-ignored-bob-menendezs-corruption-until-he-was-no-longer-useful%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2046073&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Will Senate Dems turn \u2064on Bob Menendez?<\/h2>\n<p>That question served as the \u200ctitle \u200dof Tuesday morning\u2019s edition of Politico\u200c Playbook. The question\u2064 mark wasn\u2019t long for this world: the headline for Playbook\u2019s afternoon newsletter\u2064 simply \u2062stated, \u201cThe Senate Dam\u2062 Breaks For Menendez.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In the less than eight hours between\u2064 the two updates, embattled Sen. Bob Menendez\u2019s enemy list had grown substantially. His New Jersey colleague, Sen. Cory Booker, had\u2064 joined 13 other Senate Democrats to call for his\u200c resignation. Other Senate Democrats followed shortly after.<\/p>\n<h3>A truth about \u2064Washington politics<\/h3>\n<p>A truth about Washington\u2063 politics is Republicans are\u2062 quick \u200bto turn on their own (a reporter need merely hand Sen. Mitt Romney a\u200b microphone, for\u200c example, to hear him condemn a fellow Republican). Democrats, on the other hand, typically\u2063 exercise greater party discipline. The same <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bud-light-digs-itself-deeper-hole-as-it-donates-200000-to-empower-lgbtq-owned-small-businesses\/\" title=\"Bud Light donates 0k to support LGBTQ+ small businesses.\">holds true today<\/a>, even with Booker\u200d joining his colleagues \u200din twisting\u2064 the knife on their ailing\u2064 colleague.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNJ\u2019s Golden Boy Sets The Bar\u200b Higher,\u201d Politico \u2063blared, because we\u2019re all to believe Golden Boy was shocked to hear\u200c the allegations against the senior senator.\u200c This is impossible to square with Menendez\u2019s \u200dwell-earned reputation, however; even \u200bin the public eye, allegations of corruption \u2063and whoring have hung low over the senator for more than a decade.<\/p>\n<p>The Daily Caller broke a story in \u20632012 claiming Menendez was both corrupt and using prostitutes.\u200c While federal prosecutors eventually found \u201ccorroborating evidence\u201d for \u2064the prostitution claims, \u2063they didn\u2019t pursue \u200dthem further, \u2064and in 2015 instead decided to charge the\u2064 Garden State\u2019s senior senator with \u2062corruption. Two \u200cyears later the\u200b jury deadlocked,\u2062 the \u2064judge declared a mistrial, and Menendez\u200d was acquitted, getting off with a harsh rebuke from the Senate Ethics Committee.<\/p>\n<p>Golden Boy wasn\u2019t so quick to admonish his powerful friend back then, though, choosing instead to donate \u2064$40,000 to The Robert Menendez\u2062 Legal Expense Trust. See, six years ago Menendez was still useful to Booker and his friends.<\/p>\n<p>Hours after the mistrial,\u200c The New\u200c York Times reported, \u201cevery major Democrat \u200dpower broker in the state quickly endorsed Mr. Menendez for re-election in 2018.\u201d \u201cThis is\u200d the man \u2062that we need in this fight,\u201d Booker \u2064declared at Menendez\u2019s \u200bre-election rally. Hillary Clinton helped him raise money. Democrats returned him to powerful Senate \u200bposts. Those posts, Mother Jones reports, \u201cgave Menendez the power that the Justice Department now alleges he \u200bused corruptly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe allegations \u200care hard\u200c to reconcile with the person \u200bI\u2063 know,\u201d Booker lamented Tuesday morning.\u2064 But casual observation \u200bshowed the world\u200c what kind\u2063 of man Menendez really was.<\/p>\n<p>Those Democrats who \u200dworked \u200cclosely with him? \u200dThey knew the truth better than most, and they gave him the power to continue. \u200dNow, a short \u2062year before his next re-election campaign (and with Republicans nearly winning the governorship in \u201822), the tune has changed.<\/p>\n<p>At the climax \u200cof \u201cThe Departed,\u201d \u2063Jack Nicolson\u2019s character\u200b denies he\u2019s \u200cmeaningfully betrayed any of his colleagues.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI \u2062never gave anybody up,\u201d he protests, \u201cwho \u2063wasn\u2019t going down\u200c anyways,\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI believe,\u201d\u200d Booker \u200bwrote,\u2063 \u201cstepping down is best for those Senator Menendez has spent his life serving.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How does\u200c Senator Booker&#8217;s call for Menendez&#8217;s resignation reflect the changing dynamics of Washington\u200b politics and the Democratic party&#8217;s commitment to integrity and accountability<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Y \u200bCaller did a deep\u200b dive on the Menendez scandal as\u2062 far back as 2013, and \u2062even at \u2064that point, it was clear that there was something unsavory about the Senator\u2019s conduct. Yet, despite the mounting\u2064 evidence and public perception, Senate Democrats stood by Menendez, defending\u200d him and\u200d dismissing the allegations \u2064as baseless attacks from political opponents.<\/p>\n<p>But now, the\u200c tide seems to \u2064be turning. The recent trial and subsequent mistrial on corruption \u2062charges against\u2064 Menendez\u200b have painted a bleak picture of his ethical standards. The jury deadlocked \u2062on \u2063whether Menendez accepted bribes in \u200bexchange for political favors, but the damage had already been done. The trial exposed Menendez\u2019s questionable relationship with a wealthy eye doctor, Salomon Melgen, \u200cwho provided him with luxurious vacations \u2064and substantial campaign contributions.<\/p>\n<p>It\u200b is worth noting that some Senate Democrats, \u2062like Booker, are not calling for Menendez\u2019s resignation \u200csolely based\u2062 on the corruption charges. There is also the issue of trust and integrity. As elected\u2063 representatives, \u2063Senators have a duty \u200cto uphold \u200bthe <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-already-having-to-deal-with-ethical-headache-created-by-kamala-harris-niece-report\/\" title=\"White House Already Having To Deal With \u2018Ethical Headache\u2019 Created By Kamala Harris\u2019 Niece: Report\">highest ethical standards<\/a> and to act as stewards of the \u200dpublic\u2063 trust. The allegations and \u200bsubsequent\u2062 trial have \u200bshaken that trust, and \u200bit is no longer tenable for Democrats to \u200ccontinue to support Menendez in the face\u200d of such overwhelming evidence.<\/p>\n<p>But while some Senate Democrats are speaking out, others have remained conspicuously silent. This raises questions about their motivations and whether they are willing to prioritize party loyalty over standing up for what is \u200bright. \u2063Menendez\u2019s trial\u2063 may have exposed the fault lines within \u200bthe Democratic party, \u2062as some members grapple with \u2063the\u200c decision between protecting their colleague and maintaining the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/leftists-will-be-enraged-after-wsj-reveals-latest-trend-of-layoffs-in-the-workplace\/\" title=\"Leftists Will Be Enraged After WSJ Reveals Latest Trend of Layoffs in the Workplace\">moral\u200b high ground<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>It is undoubtedly a difficult position for Senate Democrats to be \u200cin. On one hand, they risk alienating their base by continuing \u2064to support a senator with such\u2062 serious ethical questions hanging over his \u2064head. On\u200d the \u200dother hand,\u2063 they risk creating a precedent \u2062where any senator can be easily ousted by mere allegations\u2062 and accusations.<\/p>\n<h3>The changing \u200bdynamics<\/h3>\n<p>While Democrats have\u200d traditionally exercised greater\u2062 party discipline, there is a growing\u200b recognition that times \u2062are changing. In the\u2063 era of #MeToo and increased scrutiny on powerful individuals, politicians\u2064 can \u2064no longer rely on party loyalty to\u200c shield\u2062 them \u2063from the consequences of their\u200d actions. The public and the media demand accountability, and voters will not \u2064easily forget or forgive those who turn a blind eye to corruption and misconduct.<\/p>\n<p>This new dynamic is \u200dperhaps most\u200b evident in the actions of\u200d Senator \u200cBooker. As a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rep-matt-gaetz-suggests-potential-desantis-2024-presidential-run\/\" title=\"Rep. Matt Gaetz Suggests Potential DeSantis 2024 Presidential Run\">potential presidential candidate<\/a>, Booker could ill afford to \u2062be associated with an embattled colleague. By calling for\u2064 Menendez\u2019s resignation, Booker is distancing himself from the \u200ctarnished \u2062image of the senior senator and positioning himself as\u2064 a champion of integrity and accountability.<\/p>\n<p>As\u200c the situation evolves, it will be\u2063 interesting to see whether\u2063 other Senate Democrats follow Booker\u2019s lead or continue to remain silent. The Menendez\u200c saga has become a litmus test for the Democratic party, a \u200ddefining moment that will reveal whether they are truly committed to cleaning \u2063up politics and holding their own accountable.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, the question of whether Senate\u2063 Democrats will turn on Bob Menendez has \u2062been answered resoundingly by the growing chorus of calls for \u2064his resignation.\u2064 The changing dynamics of Washington politics, combined with the gravity of the corruption charges against Menendez, have forced \u200cDemocrats to confront their\u2062 own party and make a difficult decision. The days\u2063 of unquestioning party loyalty may be coming to an end, as politicians are increasingly held to account \u200dfor their actions. The future \u2063of Menendez\u2062 and the Democratic party hangs in the balance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Politico Playbook questioned if Senate Dems would abandon Bob Menendez. However, within hours, the headline changed to &#8220;The Senate Dam Breaks For Menendez,&#8221; indicating a shift in support.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":574,"featured_media":2046074,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2046073","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2046073","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/574"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2046073"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2046073\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2046074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2046073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2046073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2046073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}