By Thomas Anderson
Today’s a big day for my publication, The Last Government Watchdog. Back in 2012 Senator Menendez was a key elected official supporting a charity the New York State Attorney General’s office stripped of a massive collection of prime properties throughout New York City. I was finalizing some research I was doing with the New York Times concerning a guy living in the projects in Queens but donating millions of dollars to Republican candidates throughout the state when I connected the man running the charity that lost its property with the political money scheme I uncovered. I assumed the political money came from properties the State liquidated after their takeover.
The same individual funneling millions to GOP politicians hosted a Congressional Field Hearing Senator Bob Menendez held in 2012. I connected the dots and handed it all over to the New York Times- my life hasn’t been the same since. Mind you, the Times never ran the piece telling me the individuals involved showed the Times a letter signed by Chris Christie- when he was a US Attorney- claiming anyone involved would be cleared of any past or future wrongdoing concerning the properties stripped of the BUFNY.
Why was Menendez supported by people operating what seemed to be a government-backed destruction of one of the biggest minority-led charities of its time? Attempting to answer this question sent me down a rabbit hole I’m still climbing out of. This case appears to be the first glimpse of light I’ve seen since I began researching Menendez over twelve years ago. Most of the horrible things I’ve discovered over the years won’t be covered in Gold Bar Bob’s current trial, which is too bad, but hopefully, he will finally meet some justice.
Here’s more from Politico:
Bob Menendez corruption trial, round 2: Prosecutors have ‘compelling’ narrative
When Sen. Bob Menendez walked into a Newark federal courthouse for the first day of his 2017 corruption trial, so many reporters were watching him that the courthouse assigned them a spillover room. The spectacle didn’t last long.
Interest from the public and news media quickly waned after salacious allegations of Dominican sex workers, flights on private jets and scenes of luxurious villas gave way in the courtroom to technical details about Medicare reimbursements and credit card points to purchase a high-end grill. Jurors weren’t convinced he broke the law.
Now the government has another shot at the senior senator from New Jersey. This next trial, set to play out beginning Monday, promises to be consistently dramatic — and gives prosecutors who’ve eyed Menendez for at least two decades perhaps their best chance to convince a jury of his alleged corruption.