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Menendez lawyers seek lenient sentence, say conviction made him a ‘national punchline'
NBC New York ^ | 1/03/24 | Larry Neumeister

Posted on 01/05/2025 4:17:50 PM PST by Libloather

Lawyers for former New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez are urging a judge to be lenient at his sentencing later this month for his conviction on bribery charges, saying the ordeal has made him a “national punchline” despite a lifetime of good deeds that have saved lives.

Late Thursday, the lawyers wrote to the judge who will sentence him to say that the Democrat’s positive actions through an unusual life spent overcoming hardships should weigh in his favor. Sentencing is scheduled for July 29.

The 71-year-old Menendez was convicted in July of 16 corruption charges brought by prosecutors who asserted that he used his power in the Senate to do favors that benefited three New Jersey businessmen.

Two of the businessmen were convicted along with him while a third pleaded guilty to charges and testified at the trial.

His wife faces trial next month on many of the same charges after her case was delayed so she could be treated for breast cancer.

The lawyers told Judge Sidney H. Stein that Menendez has fallen on hard times since he was charged in the case in 2023, losing the Senate seat he held for 18 years, along with most of his “once broad circle of friends and political allies.”

“Unsurprisingly, Senator Menendez’s conviction has rendered him a national punchline and stripped him of every conceivable personal, professional, and financial benefit,” they wrote. "Bob is now 71, with his long-built reputation in tatters.

“He has suffered financial and professional ruin. And he now is helping his wife battle a life-threatening cancer diagnosis in the midst of her upcoming trial in this case. We respectfully submit that, notwithstanding his conviction, Bob is deserving of mercy because of the penalties already imposed, his age, and the lack of a compelling need to impose a custodial...

(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnewyork.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Conspiracy; Health/Medicine; History
KEYWORDS: conviction; lawyers; menendez; punchline
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They noted that the Probation Department calculated federal sentencing guidelines as calling for a sentence as high as 24 years to 30 years behind bars, although Probation recommended a dozen years in prison, which the Menendez lawyers characterized as “draconian.”

Gold bar Bob doesn't want to do time. Very sad news.

1 posted on 01/05/2025 4:17:50 PM PST by Libloather
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To: Libloather

I don’t know what he did to piss off the deep state but he didn’t do anything more than any other policitian has ever did. He must have refused to pay somebody off.


2 posted on 01/05/2025 4:19:44 PM PST by DouglasKC
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To: Libloather

“Bob is now 71, with his long-built reputation in tatters.


and who is responsible for that?


3 posted on 01/05/2025 4:22:36 PM PST by PeterPrinciple (Thinking Caps are no longer being issued, but there must be a warehouse full of them somewhere)
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To: Libloather

I think the shooting and murdering did that

Nanny Fine was making fun of them in 1992.


4 posted on 01/05/2025 4:24:01 PM PST by stanne (Because they were mesmerized by Obama, the man for whom this was named, whose name they left out of )
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To: Libloather

Throw the book at him. Maximum time, as an example to the others. Corruption is the biggest threat to the Nation.


5 posted on 01/05/2025 4:24:14 PM PST by clee1 (We use 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 2 to pull a trigger. I'm lazy and don't wish to smile.)
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To: Libloather

His corrupt conduct in office made him a national punchline.
Not a smart approach to try to get sympathy.


6 posted on 01/05/2025 4:27:03 PM PST by blackdog ((Z28.310) Be careful what you say. Your refrigerator may be listening & reporting you.)
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To: Libloather

>>”the lack of a compelling need to impose a custodial sentence,” the lawyers added.

“No one is above the law” should be a compelling enough need for a custodial sentence.


7 posted on 01/05/2025 4:27:44 PM PST by vikingd00d (chown -R us ~you/base)
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To: Libloather

This wasn’t the first time Menendez has been on trial for corruption. Remember when the FBI found thousands of dollars in cash stuffed in his freezer?


8 posted on 01/05/2025 4:29:47 PM PST by jimtorr
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To: DouglasKC

> I don’t know what he did to piss off the deep state… <

Menendez was just a bit too careless with his corruption. That did him in. For example, Egypt bribed Menendez with gold bars. And the gold bars were marked with individual serial numbers. How lax is that?

Bob would have no worries had he only followed the Biden model - accept bribes as consulting fees due to your son.


9 posted on 01/05/2025 4:32:56 PM PST by Leaning Right (It’s morning in America. Again.)
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To: Libloather

Obama’s DOJ went after Menendez twice and failed, because Menendez was a blue dog Democrat who refused to kiss Obungo’s socialist ring.

Garland finally got to Menendez through his new wife.The lefty dems are eating the old guard democrat crooks. BUt if you are a lefty socialist crook like the Bidens are, then the DOJ lets you be.

Menendez should have retired when Ovama came ofter him. His miostake is that he stayed for too long and did not become a “Progressive” Democrat.

There are far bigger , crooked Dems to be had, than Menendez. Mayorkas, Pelosi,and the Ukraine war funding kick back crowd come to mind.


10 posted on 01/05/2025 4:33:26 PM PST by Candor7 (Ask not for whom the Trump Trolls,He trolls for thee!),<img src="" width=500</img><a href="">tag</a>)
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To: Libloather

If he is a national punchline, I guess I missed the joke.


11 posted on 01/05/2025 4:36:46 PM PST by hinckley buzzard ( Resist the narrative.)
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To: stanne

Shooting and murdering? Nanny Fine??? Are these inside jokes?

????


12 posted on 01/05/2025 4:37:49 PM PST by Thank You Rush
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To: Libloather

He bought that, didn’t he?


13 posted on 01/05/2025 4:38:11 PM PST by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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To: Libloather

“”despite a lifetime of good deeds that have saved lives AND unusual life spent overcoming hardships?””

What are his good deeds that have saved lives and what hardships did he overcome?


14 posted on 01/05/2025 4:39:51 PM PST by Thank You Rush
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To: Thank You Rush

I thought this was on the Melendez brothers

Watching golden globes red carpet mess

They did a show on the menendez brothers.


15 posted on 01/05/2025 4:41:06 PM PST by stanne (Because they were mesmerized by Obama, the man for whom this was named, whose name they left out of )
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To: Libloather
”…a lifetime of good deeds that have saved lives.”

Yeah, that’s always the very first thing that I associate with career politicians. He’s a regular father Teresa. Just ask him. Eye roll.

16 posted on 01/05/2025 4:45:56 PM PST by ProtectOurFreedom (Marxism is a politics for the ugly, unwanted, uneducated, unhealthy, and insane.)
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To: Libloather
We respectfully submit that, notwithstanding his conviction, Bob is deserving of mercy because of the penalties already imposed, his age, and the lack of a compelling need to impose a custodial sentence,” the lawyers added.

I am sorry gentlemen in these times when the voting public has lost faith in our political system after years of growing corruption of those elected representatives, it is a necessity that those convicted of these crimes face the harshest punishment prescribed by law.

We must deter others in public office from committing similar crimes and we must assure the public that those violating the public trust will face harsh punishment despite the power that those in office possess.

17 posted on 01/05/2025 4:46:50 PM PST by Pontiac (esse welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.)
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To: jimtorr

Cash in the freezer was William J. Jefferson from Alabama.


18 posted on 01/05/2025 4:47:51 PM PST by ProtectOurFreedom (Marxism is a politics for the ugly, unwanted, uneducated, unhealthy, and insane.)
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To: stanne

OK - but what’s the Nanny Fine?

You’re a glutton for punishment if you can stand to watch any of those Hollywood freaks....They had something on the Menendez brothers on that??? WHY on earth?


19 posted on 01/05/2025 4:54:48 PM PST by Thank You Rush
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To: Thank You Rush

“OK - but what’s the Nanny Fine?

You’re a glutton for punishment if you can stand to watch any of those Hollywood freaks....They had something on the Menendez brothers on that??? WHY on earth?”

Oh. It’s not punishment to me. It is a disgusting mess expected. The kids watch it and I want to input.

And - also the kids- the Nanny, the show from the 1990s is hot with the young adults. She was talking about the menendez bros back then.

Rooting for the actors in the Dylan movie. But that demonic ‘Wicked’ will dominate in this evil Hollywood worship thing


20 posted on 01/05/2025 5:03:41 PM PST by stanne (Because they were mesmerized by Obama, the man for whom this was named, whose name they left out of )
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