In U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez’s (D-NJ) hometown, Union City — where seven in 10 residents claim Latino ancestry — people reacted with deep disappointment to their favorite senator’s conviction on all 16 counts in his federal trial. Many said he should resign and they’ve lost trust in the man they’d long supported as a champion of Latino rights.
Menendez faces potentially decades in prison, with sentencing scheduled for Oct. 29. It’s a precipitous fall from grace for a man who seemed destined to rise above Hudson County’s dirty politics.
The senator’s usual table was empty at his favorite restaurant, La Gran Via. One of the patrons said he voted for Menendez after his first corruption trial ended in a mistrial, but the latest conviction was a “bridge too far.”
“He was in a very powerful position, with a lot of influence that could certainly be beneficial to New Jersey,” said patron Milton Wicks. “But I think that was misused. In a big way. In light of all those things, I think it’s time to try somebody else.“
Frank Argote-Freyre worked as press secretary for then-congressman Menendez in the 1990s. He recalled how the son of Cuban immigrants fought corruption by testifying against his mentor, Union City Mayor Bill Musto, who was convicted of bribery.
“His potential just seemed enormous,” Argote-Freye said. “And things just seemed so wonderful, and the future was boundless. He was a symbol of empowerment for the Latino community…and to have it come crashing down like that a few days ago was very painful for me.”
And the Menendez conviction will presage turnover, forcing Hudson County’s fearsome political machine into transition, said Hudson County View’s John Heinis. “I think it basically means we’re turning the page,” he said. “The old guard in Hudson is not what it used to be, and they’re going to have to start getting a bench, and they’re gonna have to start having new stars, if you will, come into play.”
