Addressing controversy, Menendez invokes words of MLK

Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J. / SAUL LOEB / AFP / Getty Images

Amid a handful of allegations that threaten to mar his reputation in the Senate, Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., continues to maintain his innocence, decrying the accusations as right-wing attempts to "destroy" his career and invoking the words of Martin Luther King Jr. in asserting his faith that justice will win out.

Menendez, who was re-elected to his seat in November, has since been hit with allegations that he solicited prostitutes in the Dominican Republic, where prostitution is legal. The FBI is looking into the claims. The allegations were originally reported by a conservative website citing an anonymous source.

• Scandal drags down Menendez's approval rating
• FBI investigating prostitution claims against Sen. Menendez

Menendez has also been accused of improperly lobbying the State Department on a port security contract on behalf of Dr. Salomon Melgen, a close friend and donor. Menendez recently reimbursed Melgen $58,000 for two of three trips he took on Melgen's plane to the Dominican Republic in 2010, but called the tardy reimbursement an honest oversight and says the allegations against him are "absolutely false." The Senate Ethics Committee is investigating Menendez regarding those trips. Melgen himself is the target of more than one federal investigation stemming from allegations of Medicare fraud.

This weekend, at an event celebrating Black History Month at Shiloh Baptist Church in Trenton, N.J., the senator answered the accusations with the words of Martin Luther King Jr.

"Dr. King said that 'the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,'" he said, according to the New Jersey Star-Ledger. "Now we face anonymous, faceless, nameless individuals from right-wing sources seeking to destroy a lifetime of work. And their scares are false. I have worked too hard and too long in the vineyards to allow, at my hands, for the harvest to be soured."

"I have felt the sting of discrimination," he said, according to the North Jersey Record.

Menendez said he believes ultimately, "justice will overcome the forces of darkness."

"I have my hand on the plough," he said, "and I am going to continue to look forward and to work to make that plough lead us to the fulfillment of educational, economic and health care opportunity in this country."

A recent Quinnipiac poll shows a recent drop in Menendez's popularity, with just 36 percent approving and 41 percent disapproving.

But the Democrat, who is at the start of another six-year term, brushed off the importance of those numbers.

"The only poll that matters is what do I get accomplished each and every day," he said, according to the Star-Ledger.

[kenodenis]

Ain't this guy such a joke? Hey Bob - if you don't like it, call 1-800-CRY-BABY.

[raymailhot]

Since clinton's defense against a grand jury inquiry was "it is only sex" for harassing women while governor, Menendez thought legal prostitution was OK with America. I wonder how he will do when they find out he was lying too. But then clinton broke ground on that one also!

[TonyG63]

Stop wining Menendez... keep your pants up and out won't be under this attack . . . out need to go Anthony Weiner .. cough up the pictures and leave office. . . . dragging it out only delays YOU leaving office.

[VO142857]

Kenneth Starr, is it you?

[anjii0234]

Sounds like the Anthony Weiner defense, only with a "Oink"

[ammo17]

who said he went to coasta rica for female prostitutes>there are male prostitutes.this guy is pure evil on two feet.

[oldoc44]

These are the same guys who pontificate about anti-sex abuser issues and how despicable all these "types" are who get into these nefarious situations. Well, what goes around, etc ...as the old saying goes! They are also the ones who push for police drones and warrantless searches and similar dubious stuff... guess that doesn't work so well when it comes home. Like they tell everyone - just do the right thing and "keep your nose clean" and these surveilance things won't hurt anyone! LOL This guy is into more than we know... yet!

[Ambivalent11]

So the call girl named "Beth" is also not telling the truth the she has personally service this dude since 2008 is also persecuting him?

[anjii0234]

POSTING_AWAY, is thst you Menendez?

[Ambivalent11]

andthetruthis says:
Let me get this straight - some prostitute in South America says this and that,and this tramp's words set our FBI into motion.
Leave Menendez alone with this crap.


Do you like little Dominican girls too?

[andthetruthis]

I didn't know they were 'little Dominican girls',but,I see you seem to. How much do you know? Then the FBI can stop by your house first,cause you seem to have so much real knowledge about this.

[Rick03466]

CBS how about you stop shilling for this guy and call for his head the way you would if he were a Republican.

[anjii0234]

RICK, I think Posting_Away wrote the article.

[Non-Political]

Just how many of these accused politicians in recent history have been found innocent, once something like this is exposed? Well how about being able to count them on one finger? These politicians will deny, deny and deny some more. They will become indignant about being "wronged".

Yet it seems they are eventually found to have their hand in the cookie jar, so to speak. Care to bet on which way THIS one goes?

[andthetruthis]

Oh. If that guy was guilty,then,this next one is more than likely guilty too.
Don't we call that prejudice?