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Sen. Menendez Pushed 'Windfall' for Melgen in Dominican Port Security Deal
NLPC ^ | January 31, 2013 | Ken Boehm

Posted on 01/31/2013 5:54:38 PM PST by jazusamo

Menendez photo

Ever since the allegations first made in November that Dominican-born eye doctor Salomon Melgen provided prostitutes for Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), a favor that appeared to be gravy on top of his large campaign contributions, the obvious question for us has been, "What has Menendez done for Melgen?"

We believe that we have answer. After an extensive review of publicly available documents that link the two men, the answer relates to unusual actions on behalf of a port security company known as ICSSI.

Ray Hernandez and Frances Robles detail in a New York Times story how Menendez sought to help ICSSI "in ways that could bring the doctor a highly lucrative windfall." From the article:

Two years ago, Dr. Melgen, despite an apparent lack of experience in border security issues, bought an ownership interest in a company that had a long-dormant contract with the Dominican Republic to provide port security. Mr. Menendez, who is chairman of the Senate subcommittee that holds sway over the Dominican Republic, subsequently urged officials in the State and Commerce Departments to intervene so the contract would be enforced, at an estimated value of $500 million.

Menendez even convened a special hearing on the matter. Although he was the only Senator present, it had the full force of a Senate hearing. He dragged administration officials up to the Hill for questioning about why the deal had not gone through. The New York Times quotes Menendez :

"You have another company that has American investors that is seeking to - has a contract actually given to it by the - kind of ratified by the Dominican Congress to do X-ray of all of the cargo that goes through the ports, which have been problematic and for which in the past narcotics have been included in those cargo," the senator said at the hearing, according to a transcript provided by the National Legal and Policy Center, a government watchdog group.

Also from the article:

...Ken Boehm, the chairman of the government watchdog group, called the actions troubling.

"At a minimum, the public is entitled to know more about this relationship," Mr. Boehm said. "It's a matter of transparency and accountability."

The New York Times article was posted online this evening and will likely be published in tomorrow's print edition. As interesting as some of the details of the previous allegations have been, the real scandal is the appearance that a U.S. Senator tried to help a donor make a lot of money at the same time the donor was pouring hundreds of thousand into the campaigns of Menendez and his allies. The New York Times provides a good overview of the situation but there are several aspects of the Menendez-Melgen relationship that deserve much more scrutiny.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Editorial; Extended News; Government; US: New Jersey
KEYWORDS: 113th; cultureofcorruption; democrats; menendez; ussenate
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To: jazusamo

Another problem brewing for Menendez is that he is a very white Cuban who was probably doing an underaged black/mulatto Dominicana. There is alot of racism in the Hispanic communities...especially with what part of the Hispanic world you are from....Dominicans are really looked down upon in the Hispanic world


21 posted on 01/31/2013 7:10:01 PM PST by SeminoleCounty (GOP = Greenlighting Obama's Programs)
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To: JerseyHighlander

The Fanjuls are big donors to BOTH Dems and GOP......something to remember if the GOP refuses to go after the Dems on this


22 posted on 01/31/2013 7:14:40 PM PST by SeminoleCounty (GOP = Greenlighting Obama's Programs)
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To: jazusamo

Good find, jaz.


23 posted on 01/31/2013 7:17:52 PM PST by Girlene
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To: Hotlanta Mike

kinda wonder if illinois will get a couple of new Senators as well. And Vermont ~


24 posted on 01/31/2013 7:17:51 PM PST by muawiyah
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To: boop
The dems won't care unless it threatens their power. That's all that matters to them.

He could be a pedophile and a necrophiliac for all they care. They have no morality, they've sold their very souls.

25 posted on 01/31/2013 7:19:22 PM PST by smoothsailing
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To: WellyP

Why are you assuming the victims are girls?


26 posted on 01/31/2013 7:19:45 PM PST by muawiyah
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To: muawiyah

I’m not assuming that it was only with girls. Sen. Menedez is a HUGE supporter of “gay rights”, HUGE. That said, so far only girls have come forward.


27 posted on 01/31/2013 7:27:18 PM PST by WellyP (question!)
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To: smoothsailing

It certainly could be, Smooth. I wouldn’t put anything past people like him, when a person lies, takes graft and thinks nothing of it they’re capable of most anything.


28 posted on 01/31/2013 7:30:03 PM PST by jazusamo ("Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent." -- Adam Smith)
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Please bump the Freepathon or click above and donate or become a monthly donor!

29 posted on 01/31/2013 7:35:16 PM PST by jazusamo ("Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent." -- Adam Smith)
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To: jazusamo

Oh, underage BOYS? Well that’s OK according to liberals. After all, what group is pushing to have access to BOY scouts?


30 posted on 01/31/2013 7:36:59 PM PST by boop ("You don't look so bad, here's another")
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To: boop

You couldn’t be more right, I can’t believe the BSA is caving to these creeps but it looks like they are.


31 posted on 01/31/2013 7:47:51 PM PST by jazusamo ("Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent." -- Adam Smith)
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To: smoothsailing
Soon Menendez may discover that he has a pressing need to spend more time with his family.
That's enough to make one feel sorry for the family.
32 posted on 01/31/2013 8:11:38 PM PST by Standing Wolf
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To: smoothsailing

“Soon Menendez may discover that he has a pressing need to spend more time with his family. HA!”

Anybody know where the RATs are going to find the next Lautencorpse? Or does NJ allow the governor to find a squishy Republican?


33 posted on 01/31/2013 9:32:46 PM PST by vette6387
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To: AuntB; Tennessee Nana; thouworm; TADSLOS; sickoflibs; Grampa Dave
That putrid smell hanging over Sen Menendez is NOT yesterday’s burrito.

NBC NEWS IS REPORTING: At a Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee hearing on the subject of “doing business in Latin America” held Aug. 1, 2012. Sen Menendez pressed for tighter security at Dominican Republican ports.

Menendez did not name it, but he pumped the company of campaign donor and prostitute procurer Dr Salomon Melgen (a Miami opthamologist looking to make big bucks in port security).

Menendez told US State Dept officials who were summoned to the hearing: “You have another company that has American investors that is seeking to — has a contract, actually, given to it by the, kind of ratified by, the Dominican Republic Congress — to X-ray all of the cargo that goes through the ports,” Menendez said.

Menendez later used his position to pressure the State Dept to advance the scheme----crassly using US govt authority and govt resources to benefit himself and a crony.

A spokesman for Menendez said his statement and his later calls to the State Department on behalf of Melgen were “routine.”

The National Legal and Policy Center watchdog group alleges “Senator Menendez was promoting the financial interests of Dr. Melgen’s company,” even though Melgen–--- a Miami opthamologist– has “no background in port security.”

=======================================

PLAIN AS THE NOSE ON YOUR FACE Apparently, Menendez, Melgen and Dominican Republic federales colluded to cut a deal which would profit them hundreds of millions of dollars....with kickbacks and money laundering facilitating the deal.

If he did this as a private citizen, it would not be a crime—---but Menendez is an elected official with “the power of the purse.” He used his elected office and US govt authority to benefit himself—-the self-same reason Sen Harrison Williams went to jail.

I suggest Menendez start writing that resignation letter NOW.

34 posted on 02/01/2013 8:00:43 AM PST by Liz
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To: JerseyHighlander; AuntB; Tennessee Nana; La Lydia; TADSLOS
Nice reporting, JH----permit me to make a few addtions.

This is either going to be squashed in the next 72 hours ---- or, we, the people, will be enjoying the pols get clobbered---a major once-in-a-generation US national scandal.

Obama will have to adminster No-Doz to the sleepy Holder and the DOJ, to nail this pronto---- b/c the monumentality of the scandal will impact on Obama's nefarious scheme to conjure up new Democratic voters by handing citizenship to illegal latinos.

The Fanjul brothers (sugar billionaires) own the resort where Menendez and underage prostitues cavorted. The Fanjuls have entertained dozens and dozens of Senators and Congressmen at this luxe resort.

US citizens are looking at a national scandal of enormous proportions---hidden til now---probably entailing long-term blackmailing of our nation’s leaders with the aid of videos of underage prostitution at Casa de Campo.

There are also voluminous paper trails WRT who in US govt has been to Casa de Campo in the last 20 years (since the Fanjuls have owned the resort).

Let the fiesta begin. Ole.

35 posted on 02/01/2013 8:20:27 AM PST by Liz
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To: Liz

Didnt he just get a Senate committee asignment?


36 posted on 02/01/2013 8:25:29 AM PST by sickoflibs (Losing to Dems and Obama is not a principle! Its just losing.)
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To: Liz

Liz, I’m not holding my breath. To quote the best SoS to bless a generation, “What difference does it make”? /heavy sarc.


37 posted on 02/01/2013 8:35:22 AM PST by TADSLOS ( "I ask sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people except for a few politicians."-George Mason)
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To: TADSLOS
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Have you asked your Senator/Cong/legislator if THEY'VE ever spent time at Casa de Campo resort in the Dominican Republic?
38 posted on 02/01/2013 8:39:52 AM PST by Liz
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To: Liz

BTT


39 posted on 02/01/2013 8:55:48 AM PST by AuntB (Illegal immigration is simply more "share the wealth" socialism and a CRIME not a race!)
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To: Liz

BTT


40 posted on 02/01/2013 8:55:59 AM PST by AuntB (Illegal immigration is simply more "share the wealth" socialism and a CRIME not a race!)
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