Behind the Headlines Video
New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez [D] is in a major scandal called "Hookergate."
He's alleged have made trips to the Dominican Republic for sex parties with underage girls. He'd fly back and forth on the private jet of a major campaign donor. But never disclosed this in accordance with federal law and Senate [ethics] rules.
Of course, he denied all of this. But then he reimbursed the campaign donor nearly $60,000 for the sex-party plane trips he said he never took.
[It is a federal crime to leave the U.S. and travel to another country for the purpose of having sex with children. Documents supporting allegations that Menendez traveled to the Dominican Republic to have sex with underage girls are here.]
There's more.
The offices of Dr. Salomon Melgen, the campaign donor, were just raided by the FBI. Not only for the underage prostitution allegations. But he's also suspected of Medicare fraud.
Melgen has given nearly $100,000 to Menendez and a political group run by Menendez. And about $1,000,000 was given by Melgen, his family and business interests to political organizations with ties to Menendez.
And there's even more.
Last year, Menendez pushed for US government aid for a company owned by Melgen that stands to receive up to $1 billion in Dominican government contracts.
Some might think this situation is troubling since Menendez is the new chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He's vulnerable to blackmail by foreign interests.
And you're probably sitting at home wondering, "How come this isn't a headline national news story?"
How come, indeed.
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American Tort Reform Association
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