{"id":2046534,"date":"2023-09-27T14:15:02","date_gmt":"2023-09-27T18:15:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-the-democratic-partys-fundraising-juggernaut-could-help-bob-menendezs-legal-defense\/"},"modified":"2023-09-27T14:18:52","modified_gmt":"2023-09-27T18:18:52","slug":"how-the-democratic-partys-fundraising-juggernaut-could-help-bob-menendezs-legal-defense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-the-democratic-partys-fundraising-juggernaut-could-help-bob-menendezs-legal-defense\/","title":{"rendered":"The Democratic Party&#8217;s fundraising power may aid Bob Menendez&#8217;s legal defense."},"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\">22<\/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%2Fhow-the-democratic-partys-fundraising-juggernaut-could-help-bob-menendezs-legal-defense%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=2046534&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>Senator Robert Menendez Relies \u200don Campaign Funds for Legal Defense<\/h2>\n<p>Senator Robert Menendez has turned to his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-union-blunder-reveals-the-truth-behind-big-labor\/\" title=\"Biden Union Blunder Reveals The Truth Behind Big Labor\">campaign war chest<\/a> to\u2064 support his legal defense in a bribery case that occurred \u200cnearly a decade ago. Now, facing a recent \u200bbribery indictment, the embattled New Jersey Democrat is\u2062 expected to do the same, this time with the\u2062 backing of the Democratic Party&#8217;s\u200c largest fundraising powerhouse.<\/p>\n<p>Menendez,\u2062 along with\u2063 the \u200cpro-Menendez group New Millennium PAC, utilizes ActBlue to process donations for the senior senator of New Jersey. ActBlue, a service used by thousands of\u2064 Democrats, collects campaign\u2063 contributions with a 3.9 percent processing fee, aiming to amplify \u200bthe voices of small-dollar donors and reshape power structures in the country.<\/p>\n<p>However, these small-dollar donors may \u2063unknowingly\u200b contribute to funding a scandal-ridden lawmaker accused \u200dof\u200b severe abuse of power. Menendez&#8217;s campaign has already raised an\u2063 impressive $812,039 this year through ActBlue, as reported by campaign finance records. Notably, Menendez has already\u2064 tapped into his campaign funds to pay his legal team\u200c in the ongoing bribery case.<\/p>\n<p>According to campaign disclosures, Menendez has \u2062paid $48,000 to the firm Schertler &#038; \u200cOronato and $127,343 to Winston &#038; Strawn, both representing \u2064him in the current \u200bcase. Leading the defense is veteran \u2062Democratic attorney Abbe Lowell, a \u200dpartner at Winston &#038; Strawn, who\u200b also represents\u2062 Hunter \u200dBiden in his legal entanglements.<\/p>\n<p>Last week, Menendez faced indictment on\u200c charges of \u200baccepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and gold\u2063 bars in exchange for political favors for three\u200c New Jersey businessmen. The\u2062 indictment \u2062also included Menendez&#8217;s wife and the businessmen themselves.<\/p>\n<p>Federal prosecutors allege that Menendez provided \u2064sensitive information to Egyptian intelligence operatives in exchange for the \u200dbribes. Additionally, he allegedly attempted to interfere in\u2062 a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/disgraced-san-francisco-official-arrested-for-attempted-robbery-at-food-bank\/\" title=\"Disgraced San Francisco Official Arrested for Attempted Robbery at Food Bank\">federal corruption investigation<\/a> on behalf of one of his\u2063 co-defendants. During a\u2063 raid \u2063on Menendez&#8217;s home in June 2022, federal agents discovered gold bars and $480,000 in cash concealed in envelopes, clothing, and a safe.<\/p>\n<p>Despite calls for his resignation and the end of his reelection campaign,\u200b Menendez has shown\u200d no intention of\u200d stepping\u200d down, \u200dfueling speculation that he\u200d aims \u2064to retain power to raise funds for his legal defense.<\/p>\n<p>This is not\u200c the first time \u2062Menendez has relied on his position to \u200dfinance\u200b his legal battles. In 2013, his campaign\u2063 paid $332,868 \u2063to the law firm McDermott Will &#038; \u200bEmery, and in 2014, $162,736 \u200dto Chadbourne &#038; Parke, both representing him when \u2064he faced bribery charges\u2062 related to Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen. New Millennium PAC\u2063 contributed $20,000 to Menendez&#8217;s \u200dlegal defense trust during that time, which received millions of dollars in donations from Menendez&#8217;s associates. \u200bSenator Cory Booker&#8217;s political \u200baction committee and current New Jersey U.S. attorney Phillip Sellinger also contributed $40,000 \u200ceach to the Menendez fund.<\/p>\n<p>ActBlue, the platform used by Menendez and numerous other Democrats, has previously taken action against candidates who violated their &#8220;values.&#8221; Notably,\u200b they suspended Andrew\u200d Cuomo&#8217;s\u200b fundraising activities in 2021 after he \u2064faced allegations of sexual harassment from 11 women. In 2020,\u200d ActBlue also \u200csuspended a Kansas state legislator for engaging\u200d in revenge porn.<\/p>\n<p>Despite multiple requests\u2064 for comment, ActBlue and Menendez&#8217;s office did not respond.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> \u2064In light\u2064 of Senator Menendez&#8217;s \u200creliance\u2064 on ActBlue for campaign contributions, what \u200cresponsibility lies with the Democratic \u2063Party leadership and\u2064 ActBlue to ensure transparency and prevent funds\u2062 from supporting individuals facing serious legal allegations<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Epting bribes in\u2063 exchange for using his positions in\u2062 Congress to benefit a wealthy friend and donor,\u2063 Dr. Salomon \u2064Melgen. The\u2062 indictment\u2062 alleges that \u2064Menendez\u2062 accepted flights on Melgen&#8217;s private jet, luxury vacations,\u200b and hundreds of thousands of dollars in \u200ccampaign contributions, all in exchange for using his\u2064 influence to\u200b secure visas for\u2064 Melgen&#8217;s foreign girlfriends, intervene in a\u2064 Medicare billing dispute, and support Melgen&#8217;s \u200cbusiness interests.<\/p>\n<p>With\u2064 the weight of these\u2062 charges \u2064hanging over his head, Menendez has once again turned to\u2062 his campaign \u200bfunds to finance \u200dhis legal defense. This tactic\u2062 is not uncommon\u2062 in the world of politics, where legal battles can be long and expensive. However, the decision to use campaign funds in this manner raises ethical \u200bquestions about the use of small-dollar donations to support a lawmaker accused of engaging in corrupt activities.<\/p>\n<p>ActBlue, \u200bthe platform through\u2063 which Menendez collects campaign contributions, has been \u200dpraised for its ability \u200dto amplify the voices of small-dollar \u2063donors. The service aims to reshape\u2064 power structures\u200c in\u2063 the country by providing a platform for individuals to mobilize \u2063their support for Democratic candidates. Unfortunately, these donors may \u200bnot be\u200d aware \u200dthat a portion of their contributions \u200bis being used to fund a scandal-ridden\u200d lawmaker&#8217;s legal defense.<\/p>\n<p>According to campaign finance\u200b records, Menendez has already raised over $800,000 this\u200d year through ActBlue. \u2064A \u200csignificant portion of these funds has been used to pay his legal team, including the well-known Democratic attorney Abbe Lowell. Despite the allegations against Menendez, he continues \u2062to rely on the support of his party&#8217;s largest fundraising powerhouse, which\u200d raises questions about Democratic Party \u2063leadership&#8217;s stance\u2064 on corruption \u2063allegations.<\/p>\n<p>This situation \u2064is not unique to Menendez. Numerous politicians have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-blocks-biden-vaccine-mandate-for-businesses-with-100-employees\/\" title=\"Supreme Court blocks Biden vaccine mandate for businesses with 100+ employees\">faced legal challenges<\/a> throughout history, and many have turned\u2064 to their campaign \u2063funds for support. However, it is essential to consider the implications of financing legal defenses \u200cthrough these channels. By using campaign funds for legal \u2064defense, politicians risk tarnishing the reputation of small-dollar donors who believed they were supporting\u200c the democratic process, not funding a scandal-plagued lawmaker&#8217;s defense.<\/p>\n<p>Transparency and accountability are crucial in politics, and lawmakers should be held to the highest standards. It is incumbent \u200bupon the Democratic Party leadership and ActBlue to ensure that donors are aware of how\u200d their\u200c contributions may be used and to \u200ctake measures to prevent \u2062funds from being used to support individuals facing serious legal allegations.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, \u200cthis \u200dcase highlights the need for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/amid-ethics-scandal-bidens-favorite-super-pac-taps-white-house-staffers-for-ad-blitz\/\" title=\"Biden's preferred Super PAC enlists White House staff for ad campaign amidst ethics controversy.\">comprehensive campaign finance reform<\/a>. The current system \u2062allows for the potential abuse of \u200dfunds, and \u200bthere should be\u200d stricter \u200cregulations to prevent the misuse\u2064 of \u200dcampaign contributions for personal benefit. Efforts should be made to enact legislation that\u2062 promotes accountability, transparency, and ethical\u200b practices in \u2063campaign finance.<\/p>\n<p>Senator Robert Menendez&#8217;s reliance on campaign \u2064funds\u200c for his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-the-democratic-partys-fundraising-juggernaut-could-help-bob-menendezs-legal-defense\/\" title=\"The Democratic Party's fundraising power may aid Bob Menendez's legal defense.\">legal\u2062 defense raises significant ethical concerns<\/a>. It not\u200b only calls into question the integrity \u2062of his donors but also shines a light on the need \u200dfor comprehensive campaign finance reform. Until such reforms are enacted, it is \u200bincumbent upon politicians, political\u2063 parties, and platforms such as ActBlue to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of campaign funds. Only then can the democratic process truly represent the interests of the people, free from the taint of corruption.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Senator Robert Menendez relied on his campaign funds for legal defense during a past bribery case. Facing a new indictment, the troubled New Jersey Democrat is expected to repeat this strategy, now with support from the Democratic Party&#8217;s major fundraising powerhouse. Menendez&#8217;s reliance on party resources continues.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":155,"featured_media":2046535,"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":[544],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2046534","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-free-beacon"],"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\/2046534","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\/155"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2046534"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2046534\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2046535"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2046534"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2046534"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2046534"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}