The calls for Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) to resign from office are mounting after he was indicted on federal bribery and corruption charges last week.
Everyone needs to call for him to resign!
Why has Corey Booker been silent?
Only reason I can imagine he might resign for is a plea deal.
I was disappointed, although not entirely surprised, to see Schumer come out so early in support. Glad to see that it’s not quelling others from coming out and saying their piece. Josh’s column says it best. “How innocent are you, Bob?” As an aside, many moons ago when Menendez was coming up he and John Corzine would occasionally show up at a restaurant in Hoboken I worked in. You’ll be shocked to hear that we had teachers and firefighters that were much better tippers.
I’ve reached out last night to my Senators (Durbin and Duckworth) regarding this. I wrote that not only does the United States Senate deserve better, but so do the American people. Durbin was on one of the Sunday morning shows talking about how this is a decision for Menendez and his constituents. This is the same claptrap republicans have been promoting about George Santos.
Not only is asking Menendez the right moral thing to do, it’s also the right political thing to do. Even if he doesn’t resign, our Democratic leaders can, in the words of Kate Riga, “Get caught trying.” It will allow Democrats to campaign on the basis of no one being above the law in contrast with the other party in the thrall of an authoritarian.
It’s doubtful that milquetoast Durbin will change his mind or even bother responding—he’s far too concerned with Senate decorum and getting along with his republican friends than to take a stand. Duckworth isn’t much better.
Both are poster children on why Dems under-perform in our elections.
The more the Dems clamor for it, the more he digs in his heels and refuses.
Schumer needs to do what is available to him to get this guy out. The Dems need to lead by example.
“He’s entitled to the presumption of innocence under our system, but he is not entitled to continue to wield influence over national policy, especially given the serious and specific nature of the allegations . . .”
Fetterman comes close to getting the “presumption of innocence” thing right. Menendez is entitled to the presumption of innocence within the legal system. He is not entitled to the presumption of innocence anywhere else or by anyone else. We don’t need to treat either Menendez or Trump or Santos (to limit this to three examples) as if they are pure as the driven snow until convicted. Anyone outside the court system can think whatever he or she wants about them and act accordingly. And that includes the rest of the Democratic Senators. So, no conviction, criminal record or punishment until proven guilty; but possible resignation or expulsion from the Senate should not be deterred by bogus arguments about the presumption.
Everyone should work in a restaurant for at least a little while just to learn the life lessons available there. I washed dishes at a burgers-and-frozen-custard joint on Capitol Drive in Milwaukee in the '60s. Never will I foget just how important tips are to wait staff. Shocked by some of the jaded nastiness. Customers would press a menu flap on top of a tumbler full of water, invert it on the table and then slip the menu out to leave a booby trap. Place massive orders and send everything back. Put cigarettes out in the mashed potatoes. Rumble in the parking lot with switchblades and brass knuckles. Somebody like Menendez came in there they’d spit in his food or worse (cf. the chapter titled Eating Out in the Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting).
Every thing like this needs a “Good Cop”, as the fellow NJ Senator, Booker would make a good one…
Not being on TV calling out Menendez means that Bob will actually take Corey’s calls…
It’s early in the scandal, it’s been a couple days, but it was a weekend, it’s like the scandle really starts today.
He can’t stay quiet long. I hope he’s using it wisely
That’s the price of being leader. Initially trying to deflect some for your members… You have to eat crap sandwiches from time to time.
I dont have a problem with his Friday response to get into the weekend where they can work the problem behind the scenes.
I don’t expect it to last…
I expect Chuck is aware and has given tacit approval for this. Gives him leverage when trying to manage out Menendez.
“This just shows that the rule of law applies to everyone,” Swalwell said on MSNBC.
Appalling that he shouldn’t be required to be off all committees pending trial, and preferable that he resign entirely.
This is a 2nd indictment in his career. Democrats cannot chide Republicans for their ethics and then keep their own defendants in power.
It looks to me that Menendez took advantage of his fellow senator to advance the defendant’s corrupt candidates.
Booker was closely involved with Menendez in pushing the candidacy of Esther Suarez. Things changed once Menendez found out that Suarez was not willing to go along with the Daibes rescue scheme.
Things then got messy for Cory Booker after a series of very negative articles appeared in the local media. The first candidate was depicted as corrupt adjacent, if not corrupt herself.
Sen. Cory Booker is normally the first to grab the microphone, but he won’t say a word about his central role in the push to install Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez as the next top federal prosecutor for New Jersey.
I believe Booker had been going along with Menendez in a manner consistent with any pair of same-party same-state senators. There is no indication that he was part of the corruption.
The press conference is apparently going on about now.
He’s doing it in both English and Spanish, which I guess makes sense.
Uggh.
I lived in NJ-8 for almost two decades.
I’m sure I voted for BMenendez several times for his House seat and both his first two Senate runs.
I feel betrayed. I am disgusted.
I just did a little wiki-research and found that NJ-8 is now represented by Rob Menendez, B’s spawn.
The Divine Right of Kings, American style.
Pardon me whilst I throw up.
ETA: It’s now NJ-8…had been NJ-13.
Fetterman is spot on, and Schumer is an idiot, and the rest of the Senate caucus are cowards.
Not shocked, not surprised, that a former Goldman guy and another guy who stores hundred of thousands of dollars of cash and gold in suit pockets in his closet are out of touch or unsympathetic to with the need of food service workers for tips generous tips.
I’d be interested in seeing the hypocrisy in GoOPer attacks on Menendez. You know: indicted politicians cannot be trusted…could be fun
I mean, why not? What does any Dem, anywhere, have to lose by booting Mr. Gold Bars? There’s no downside. Get rid of him. Does he have the goods on someone else? He seems like a nasty piece of work, Jersey style.
