Silly rabbits. The McDonnell opinion only applies to Republicans.
It really sounds like there is no case. But since he is a key Democrat, hey–they never get anything but the works.
Will be curious to see how the Judge rules. Even if he’s inclined to rule in defendants favor he might still let it go in hope the jury will bail him out with an acquittal which would end the case. If he directs a verdict, I believe the government can appeal.
The longer it takes, the less time Christie has to appoint a Republican replacement…
Here’s the thing. I thought the McDonnell decision was nonsense before the ink even dried on it. The briber in question was paying for McDonnell’s daughter’s wedding, paying the mortgage on McDonnell’s beach house, buying a wardrobe for McDonnell’s wife. As I remember it, the McDonnells pushed for University of Virginia to open clinical trials on the briber’s dietary supplements, arranged meetings by name with influential people at the federal and state level, all while McDonnell’s wife was holding out her hands and promising McDonnell’s cooperation. To the jury, that was just a leetle over the line to Corruptionville. Without the pressure of a wife pushing for the nicer things in life, Menendez managed to stay a leetle this side of Corruptionville, or at least that’s the way it looks.
Both cases are distasteful. One’s like eating fresh bullshit, the other like eating dehydrated bullshit.
Bribery is incredibly difficult to prove even when it’s obvious. Menendez will probably walk, but I really wish he didn’t run again. New Jersey is a very blue state, but the obvious stench associated with this case might sink his chances for re-election. He appears rather guilty regardless of the verdict and New Jersey is getting tired of electing politicians who are obviously corrupt.
If the judge clears him, good. He can stay in the Senate until his next election or when a Democrat is elected governor in November and is sworn in, in January.
If judge let’s the trial go on, and Menedez is found guilty, it would seem appropriate to stay the verdict until appeal to allow the test to work it’s way to the SC better define the limits of the McDonnell decision. Menendez could then resign in January after new Governor is sworn in and carry forward his appeal as a private citizen.
All that said, seems Menendez is charged with things much less egregious as McDonnell.
Most likely what’s in back of the judges mind is that if they convict him on these charges, what about all the other corruption going on with favors flying like leaks from the White House.
Given the rampant corruption and collusion in the Trump administration, the Menendez case looks rather quaint.