Menendez’s Buddy Strongarms for the Senator
We’re suppose to believe that Senator Bob Menendez, already under investigation for kickbacks from millions he lobbied for on behalf of his renter, didn’t know that his personal friend Donald Scarinci strongarmed Oscar Sandoval into hiring a doctor “preferred by Menendez or risk losing $1 million in contracts with Hudson County.”
Certainly what you see is Donald Scarinci speaking without Bob Menendez’s knowledge or approval.
Matt Miller, Menendez spokesman
Interestingly, the online version of this article does not display all of what was in the printed copy of the paper Friday.
Yesterday, he [Menendez] achieved further distance from his friend when the senator’s daughter, Alicia, resigned from Scarinci’s law firm. Alicia Menendez, a recent Harvard Law School graduate, quit after learning of the tape.
“She felt that given everything, it was appropriate to no longer work there,” Miller said.
But, Menendez said yesterday he remains a close friend of Scarinci.
Menendez’s daughter shows enough class to distance herself from Scarinci, but her father, an unelected senator, who is trying to win his first statewide election cannot. Sure, Scarinci left the payroll of the Menendez campaign, but he’s seedy enough to remain friends with.
This, dear reader, is your U.S. senator. This is the man who wants you to vote for him on 7 November.
He’s being investigated by the federal government. His close friend is on tape pressuring a psychiatrist to hire another friend stating that Menendez would consider it a favor. And now he wants to still socialize with his friend and not call him on the carpet for the heap of trouble he supposedly brought to the embattled senator.
This does not pass the sniff test. Anyone who had done that to me would be publicly rebuked. Boss Bob, however, does no such thing.
Even Governor Corzine is trying to get Scarinci away. The Press of Atlantic City reported today that Corzine
would strongly encourage the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority to cease doing business with this individual.
Still, Boss Bob wants Scarinci as a friend.
Surely, there is someone who can lead us better than this.
Also blogged on this date . . .
- The Sky Didn't Fall - 2008
- Put Your Head In The Hole - 2006
- Damn Foley and GOP Leadership for Cover Up - 2006
- Political Signs - 2005
- She Blinded me with Scien-tology - 2005
- If it can't be grown it HAS to be mined - 2005
- A Collective Effort - 2003
Tags: corruption, Corzine, CRDA, ethics, Menendez, New Jersey, Politics