The Daily Caller News Foundation asked all members of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics why they had not yet investigated Democratic New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez, who has been indicted on federal corruption charges. Rejected.
Menendez is was indicted On September 22, 2023, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York filed charges of fraud, bribery, and extortion for allegedly accepting gifts from the Egyptian government in exchange for shaping policies favorable to the Egyptian government.Indictment of Egyptian agents, then prosecutors appear to add Another charge is conspiracy to act as an unregistered foreign agent. However, the Senate Select Committee on Ethics, which investigates misconduct by senators, has not opened an investigation into Menendez's conduct despite ongoing criminal proceedings against him, and members of the committee The DCNF has refused to answer questions on this issue. (Related: Details of Bob Menendez's bribery scheme are totally cartoonish)
“As a matter of policy, I will refrain from commenting here,” wrote Will Baskin Gerwitz, a spokesman for Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, who chairs the Select Committee on Ethics. . A spokesperson for Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, the committee's ranking member, referred DCNF to the committee, but Lt. Col. Shannon Coplin, the committee's chief adviser, responded to multiple requests for comment. did not respond.
See Menendez's comments on the criminal charges.
Other members of the committee, Democratic Sens. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Brian Schatz of Hawaii, and Republican Sens. Jim Risch (Idaho) and Deb Fischer (Nebraska), are: A DCNF spokesperson did not respond to multiple requests for comment. So did Sen. John Fetterman, Democrat of Pennsylvania, who loudly called for Menendez's resignation, expulsion, and denial of access to classified information.
“He needs to go, we should have left him alone. I don't know why we didn't get him. And I hope that eventually we get him out,” Fetterman said. said in January.
The committee's treatment of Menendez appears to be different from how Menendez was treated by previous committees. indictment In 2015, he was indicted on separate federal corruption charges after accepting undeclared gifts from physician Salomon Melgen in exchange for using his office to promote Melgen's interests. Menendez went to trial in 2017, but not been convicted of a crime Charges were dropped due to a hung jury, but the commission issued a public statement. letter of reproof After examining him.
The letter indicates that the commission “postponed its investigation” during Menendez's indictment and trial. However, criminal proceedings have not previously restricted Congressional Ethics Committees from investigating members.
The committee's response rate to complaints about senators' conduct is very low. The report said no disciplinary action was taken in 1,523 complaints received by the commission between 2007 and 2022. report By raw stories.
2023, House of Representatives Ethics Committee Began and concluded An investigation into former New York Republican Congressman George Santos' campaign finance violations during his tenure in office. indictment for that action in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Santos was subsequently expelled by the House of Representatives on December 1 following a committee resolution. report Former Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi succeeded him in a special election on February 13th.
“Unlike the House and key executive branch agencies, the Senate does not have an independent body dedicated to investigating ethics violations, fraud, waste, and abuse.” I have written The Campaign Legal Center issued a statement regarding the committee's inaction. “Although bipartisan, the Ethics Committee is still made up of senators and is tasked with investigating and punishing their colleagues, and is tasked with gaining critical votes to pass legislation in a closely divided chamber. I’m counting on you. This system doesn’t work.”
After the indictment, Menendez, then chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, resigned from his position. Dozens of Democratic senators and other prominent figures have called for Menendez to resign. (Related: Senate Democrats calling for Bob Menendez to resign remain silent despite pressure to oust him)
“[T]He argued that the facts are so serious that they undermine Sen. Menendez's ability to effectively represent the people of the state. Therefore, I call for his immediate resignation,” Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy wrote. statement On the day of Menendez's indictment.
Menendez's approval rating among New Jersey voters has collapsed after his indictment, with just 6% supporting him for re-election in 2024. Andy Kim, a Democratic congressman from New Jersey who began campaigning after Menendez's indictment, is now the front-runner in the race. .
Mr. Menendez's office did not respond to requests for comment.
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