I think the vultures are circling for Bob Mendez, but right now you have a very limited trail of evidence that can be used in the 'respectable' mainstream media- although there is plenty in the blogosphere. I did a quick google, and it shows all of the main UK papers have carried the story, but the US msm, including Fox, are treating it with kid gloves. Bill O'reilly comments he thinks 'Bob Menendez is in trouble'. Me too, but early days.
This story was originally broken by one Matthew Boyle, working for both the Daily Caller and Breitbart. Matthew Boyle has a shonky reporting history, to say the least- well, you can see who he works for. Parable of the boy that called wolf, booner. The original evidence is 'he said she said' stuff- a tape, of two anonymous women talking via a spanish translator. Prostitution is legal on Dominica, and Bob Mendez is single- it is doubtful this alone will sink him, rather embarass him. But if he has hired prossies below the age of 18, he has committed a US felony..... entirely a more serious matter. Unfortunately, none of the alleged allegers can be contacted, and another accusing Email is from an anonymous source who refuses to come forward. Then there is a denial-
Alleged Prostitute: I've Never Met Bob Menendez
ALSO, I'M NOT A PROSTITUTE, SHE SAYS
Alleged Prostitute: I've Never Met Bob Menendez - Also, I'm not a prostitute, she says
It is hardly a wonder the mainstream US media,
including Fox, is treating this with kid gloves. They don't want to get sued out of existence perhaps?
But I mentioned that I think the vultures are circling. Here's why-
It’s getting worse for Bob Menendez
Why we shouldn't surprised by the mess he's made for himself
It wasn’t the best weekend for Bob Menendez. On Saturday, a New York Times editorial called on the New Jersey senator to hand in his Foreign Relations Committee gavel while the Senate ethics committee investigates whether he exerted improper influence to help one of his top donors. On Sunday, his home state newspaper, the Star-Ledger, provided an exhaustive history of Menendez’s two-decade relationship with the donor, Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen, concluding that “when Melgen acts, Menendez reacts.” And this morning, the Times is reporting new details about the specific actions Menendez has taken on behalf of his benefactor.
There’s no smoking gun in the Star-Ledger report, but it details several instances in which an official action by Menendez on Melgen’s behalf was followed by a hefty donation from Melgen to a Menendez-aligned campaign committee. All told, according to the paper, Melgen and his family members have given $50,000 to Menendez over the last two decades and far more to groups that have advanced Menendez’s political interests — $700,000 last year to a super PAC designed to help Democratic incumbents who (like Menendez) were up for reelection in 2012, and over $100,000 last year to county Democratic organizations in New Jersey, which played a major role in turning out the vote for a ticket that Menendez was part of.
That’s on top of the free flights to the Dominican Republic that Melgen provided Menendez on several occasions; when they came to light recently, Menendez scrambled to reimburse Melgen for the $58,500 cost of using his private jet. Based on financial disclosure documents, that reimbursement represented between 32 and 87 percent of the senator’s net worth.
At the very least, this all amounts to one awful perception problem for Menendez. It’s now been reported that he called and met with federal officials to weigh in on Melgen’s behalf after he was accused of overbilling the government by $8.9 million for Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements.
Full Article-
It’s getting worse for Bob Menendez - Salon.com
An excellent article from 'libbie' Salon- the rw blogosphere might learn something from reading some real reporting. Menendez is at minimum embarassed, but I think his association with this shonky eye doctor may well sink him, or at least leave his Senatorial ambitions in tatters. Bonked hookers under the age of 18?
(not padophilia, booner
) We'll see, but that would certainly be a nail in the coffin. On the basis of a quick smell test, I think Senator Menendez is in for a rough ride.
The reason the whole main stream media is treating these allegations cautiously is obvious booner- it is not a question of left or right wing bias, rather journalistic integrity and, of course, the ever present legal department.