Senate Ethics Committee investigating Menendez

The Senate Ethics Committee is reviewing whether Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., inappropriately accepted gifts from a political donor who is under investigation by federal investigators.

"We are aware of the news reports regarding the FBI raid on Dr. Melgen's office," Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., the top Republican on the ethics committee, said to CBS News in a statement. "The Ethics Committee will follow its established procedures in this matter."

Late Tuesday night, the FBI and the Health and Human Services Department raided the West Palm Beach, Fla., offices belonging to Dr. Salomon Melgen, an eye doctor who has made large donations to Menendez, the New Jersey State Democratic Committee and other politicians. The FBI has not said why it was raiding Melgen's office Tuesday night, but according to the Miami Herald, records show that Melgen has an outstanding IRS lien of $11.1 million for taxes owed from 2006 to 2009. The HHS Office of the Inspector General, meanwhile, is responsible for health care fraud cases (involving Medicare and Medicaid). HHS would not comment on the FBI's involvement, though it is not unheard of for the FBI to participate in these types of investigations.

• Menendez: Donor has been reimbursed $58K for trips
• Menendez: Prostitution accusation is politically motivated

Menendez's ties to Melgen came under scrutiny late last year, after a report was published alleging that Menendez flew to the Dominican Republic and slept with prostitutes at a resort in which Melgen has a home. Menendez on Wednesday released a statement denying he engaged with prostitutes. Then on Wednesday evening, Menendez's office said the senator was reimbursing Melgen $58,000 for two of three trips he took on Melgen's plane to the Dominican Republic in 2010.

Ethics rules dictate that senators must promptly repay donors for such gifts unless the donor is a personal friend. In that case, written approval from the ethics committee is required for gifts exceeding $250. Menendez made no public disclosure until this week of the two trips for which he reimbursed Melgen. "The senator paid for the two trips out of his personal account and no reporting requirements apply," Menendez spokeswoman Tricia Enright said this week.

The ethics committee, meanwhile, is obliged to review any complaints or information suggesting a senator may have violated ethics rules.

The review comes as Menendez is gaining a higher profile in the Senate: The Cuban-American senator is part of the bipartisan "gang of eight" that is drafting immigration legislation, and he also is the new chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

[RMills2013]

FIGHT CORRUPTION (USA)
http://www.Pinterest.com/FightCorruption

[kaysieverdin]

The feds prosecuted Brenda McLeod for income tax evasion at the Denver Players brothel. They had the credit / debit card numbers that were used, which means that the names were available. According to the Denver Post, lots of lawyers credit cards were used at the Denver Players where former federal judge Edward Nottingham was reportedly a customer. But there was no report of Nottingham having paid for his prostitutes. The feds did nothing with the evidence that various people paid for prostitution services at the Denver Players. The State and City also did not prosecute the johns or find out who may have paid for prostitution services they didn't personally use (i.e. bribery).

[SeeBSnews4u]

Three articles on this network and not a single one mentions the protitutes were underaged kids. Do you think you can skew this any more CBS? Politically motivated? I think so. Harry Ried blames it on the Dailycaller for fabricating this story. Hey CBS, Harry, Dems, remember the John Edwards story being broke by The National Inquirer. The National Inquirer LOL. Yet you "real" journalist LOL refused to carry the story until everyone knew about it, then you couldn't keep it swept under the rug anymore. Every time you do this CBS you loose the faith of viewers and they start turning to other sources like The Dailycaler. Sheryl Atkinson's articles were once posted under a tab at the top of your webpage called "investigates", now that has been removed and the one journalist that actually did any real news is burry so deep you have to search for her articles. Hey Sheryl...move to a better network you deserve better.

[24lomas]

Menendez must leave the Senate now. We do not want Menendez in the Senate. He meets with prostitutes.

[24lomas]

Menendez must leave the Senate now. He goes overseas to meet with prostitutes. We do not want to pay (our tax dollars) Menendez who is a liar. Go away Menendez. We do not want you.

[ammo17]

if this story is true about these girls being under age,he has to go federal court like any child abuser and molestor. i hope he has to do hard time maybe about thirty years.

[Cowmpound]

Do you hope it is true? Sounds like it.

[Bojax39]

"Senate Ethics", what an oxymoron.... :-)

[tsigili]

That will be swept under the rug, by the Dems.

[ammo17]

we seen how the ethics committee deals with politicians.they don`t.exammple charlie rangel.what a disgrace this guy is to our country.i think this roberto menendez will have us at war with cuba as soon as he confirmed to the foreign relations committee.

[the_egret]

WHY aren't they investigating Issa? Is arson okay?

[tb91006]

So you support exploiting poor teenage girls from a poor country I see. The same hypocritical liberal clown like you who was demanding the firing of the CIA agents caught doing the same thing. You are a pathetic excuse for a human being.