N.J. Senator Accused Of Kickbacks

Taped Phone Calls Could Damage Menendez's Campaign

(AP)  Scarinci in a statement said the tape and its contents have long been part of a civil lawsuit filed by Hudson County earlier this year against several county government vendors tied to former county executive Robert Janiszewski, who is serving a 41-month federal sentence after pleading guilty to taking more than $100,000 in bribes. One of the vendors mentioned in the lawsuit is Sandoval, who is countersuing.

"As I am party to the lawsuit and represented companies owned by Dr. Sandoval during the time it is contended this recording was made, regretfully I am legally constrained from making any further statement at this time," Scarinci said. "That being said, I will clearly state that none of my dealings with Dr. Sandoval were either directed or requested by Bob Menendez."

Miller said the campaign has severed its ties with Scarinci, who has served as a fundraiser to Menendez.

Miller did say Sandoval has many reasons to lie and questioned statements made by a man accused of seducing one of his own psychiatrist patients and then using her to bribe public officials for millions of dollars in contracts.

Miller was referring to Nidia Davila Colon, a five-term Hudson County freeholder, who was sentenced to a 2½-year prison term after being convicted of passing more than $10,000 in bribes to Janiszewski so Sandoval could win millions of dollars in county contracts. Janiszewski testified against her at trial. Sandoval became an FBI informant and was never charged.

Miller also questioned Kean's judgment for campaigning with Jose Sandoval, who is running for Congress in the 8th Congressional District, saying that Oscar Sandoval and Jose Sandoval are brothers. Miller later said that he was mistaken and the two Sandovals are not related. Kean has questioned Menendez's ethics throughout the campaign.

Telephone calls made to Oscar Sandoval's two attorneys — Tomas Espinosa and Edward Duschock — were not returned Thursday.

The transcript also has an exchange where Scarinci takes credit for getting Colon hired by Carl Goldberg, a developer and Menendez fundraiser who is also chairman of the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority, the agency that operates the Meadowlands Sports Complex and other venues.

Scarinci told Sandoval: "Ultimately, I had to physically take Bob by the hand, and sit him down at a table with Carl Goldberg, when Carl handed him $12,000 in checks as campaign contribution. And I said, 'Bob, isn't there something else you that you need from Carl Goldberg?' "

Miller said the "Bob" in this conversation referred to Janiszewski. Janiszewski's lawyer, William F. Maderer, said Thursday he was unaware of the tape and could not comment.

A message left for Goldberg was returned by a spokesman who issued a statement on Goldberg's behalf that said he was "puzzled and dismayed by how my role was portrayed in a conversation that took place seven and a half years ago."

Meanwhile, rumors were rampant that the Sandoval-Scarinci phone call would force Democrats to replace Menendez on the ballot with Democratic Rep. Robert Andrews. In a telephone call to The Associated Press, Andrews said to his knowledge, there has never been any discussion of replacing Menendez on the ballot.

"The governor and the party leaders are both behind Menendez and so am I," Andrews said.

[sanfelz]

The source of the kickback claims is a jailed political rival of Menedez, former county executive Bob Janiszewski. Janiszewski and Sandoval are both criminal who have personal reasons to smear Menendez through Republican mud-slinger Chris Lyon. Lyon works for the Kean campaign. Kean must use such tactics because he is an empty suit who must rely on his father's good name and wealth to catapult him to the Senate. Kean Jr.'s positions are not supported in NJ, so he must divert attention through skullduggery.

Unfortunately "the buck stops here". He's ultimately responsible for whatever goes on in his administration. The truth will eventually come out, whether he was directly involved or not.

www.politipoll.net

[drgoodwin12]

If he is guilty of kickbacks the article does not claim that, the individual who is making the accusations does then he should be sent to prison.I am a Democrat and I do not like political corruption in either parties.But to all those who have already declared him guilty have they thought the public has forgotten Cunningham,Ney,Reed,Delay and Abrahoff.Do no forget about Foley which is a much more heinous crime.And lets not forget Nixon,Agnew and pretty soon you will be able to add Bush,Cheney,Rumsfield and Rice to the list. Last time I checked Laura Bush is not rebuking Woodward just her office.Has any of the people Woodward mention rebuked him? No.The NIE report that recently came out and the one in 2002 only help confirm Woodwards book.Also a friend of mine has two sons serving in Iraq and they both corroborate what Woodward is saying about the amount of attacks on U.S. troops.

[jumkey]

Yeah I agree janem4, this is shocking given that the Republicans have always been the party or corruption.

Good thing is the Dems will take care of the problem while the Republicans would simply ignore it.

[cbs_oliver]

So far as I know there are no charges against Menendez just against someone who worked for him and that person was asked to leave the campaign.

It is important for journalists who use the word "allegation" to clearly identify the exact nature of the allegation and who has made it. It is not right to give cover to those who make claims about other people.

[libsarenuts]

That's right. The allegations about Menendez must be right wing attack on an innocent man.
CBS actually reporting on this is the real story.

[cbs_oliver]

Your article says, "The doctor Menendez allegedly wanted hired believed some of the money from the government contract would be kicked back to Menendez, who was a congressman at the time, according to court documents."

I am at a loss to identify who is making the allegation described.

You should clarify that.

Without such clarification there is a real possibility that the allegation comes from Menendez's opponent Tom Kean Jr. and that CBS is providing cover for Mr. Kean or his campaign by not identifying the source of the allegation explicitely.

Readers are also being led to believe that their is a legal charge ("allegation") when there isn't.

This reads like a political slime job rather than a news story. You should be ashamed.