Is it a scandal or just a scandalous allegation? It all centers on claims that Sen. Bob Menendez has been involved with prostitutes in the Dominican Republic. Those claims started surfacing on conservative website The Daily Caller several weeks ago. The website even produced an interview with one of the alleged prostitutes.
And things took a dramatic turn overnight when FBI agents raided the south Florida offices of a longtime Menendez supporter Dr. Salomon Melgen. Conservative bloggers claim he was the go-between, that Menendez used Melgen’s private plane to fly to those alleged liaisons.
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The senator’s office issued this statement today: “Dr. Melgen has been a friend and political supporter of Sen. Menendez for many years. Sen. Menendez has traveled on Dr. Melgen’s plane on three occasions, all of which have been paid for and reported appropriately. Any allegations of engaging with prostitutes are manufactured by a politically-motivated right wing blog and are false.”
This comes a day after another Menendez supporter — Benedetto Bigicia of Elmwood Park — pleaded guilty in Newark federal court to conspiring to make illegal campaign contributions to the senator. All this happens as Menendez appears poised to become chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Are party leaders having second thoughts about that?
“I always consider the source and anyone here has to look at the source where this comes from,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
But the Miami Herald reports the FBI agents who raided Dr. Melgen’s south Florida offices were looking for financial records and alleged links to underage prostitutes.
And while the Menendez camp stands firm in its denial, last April the senator pulled no punches when asked what should happen to the secret service agents who allegedly got involved with prostitutes in Colombia.
“If the facts are true, they should all be fired,” Menendez said.