Sen. Robert Menendez was indicted Wednesday on 14 counts of public corruption by a federal grand jury that charged him with accepting bribes in exchange for doing favors for wealthy eye doctor, businessman and political donor Salomon Melgen.
Melgen, paid more than any other U.S. doctor in Medicare reimbursements in 2012, was a close personal friend, Menendez claimed in March, insisting he had not broken any laws after news reports said he would be charged.
The opthamologist was also indicted by the grand jury. He faces 13 counts.
The opthamologist was also indicted by the grand jury. He faces 13 counts.
The 68-page indictment alleges that, since he entered the Senate in 2006, the New Jersey Democrat accepted nearly $1 million in gifts and campaign contributions from Melgen in exchange for lobbying on behalf of the doctor’s financial interests in Medicare disputes and a port security contract in the Dominican Republic.
[OPINION: Menendez Must Resign]
The indictment also alleges Menenedez repaid Melgen by supporting visa applications for three of the doctor’s girlfriends and for the younger sister of a love interest.
The scandal involving the two men began in 2012, when The Daily Caller reported Menendez flew to the Dominican Republic aboard Melgen’s plane for private sex parties with prostitutes.
Menendez forcefully denied the prostitution claims – ultimately alleging Cuba’s government concocted the tale – but he did admit to taking flights aboard Melgen’s plane to the Caribbean country and repaid Melgen $58,500 for two flights – between 32 percent and 87 percent of his self-reported net worth, according to required financial disclosures.
He later repaid $11,250 for a domestic flight aboard Melgen’s plane.
The indictment lists several other flights the senator took aboard Melgen's jet.
[FLASHBACK: Grand Jury Eyes Sen. Menendez]
“Menendez accepted flights on Melgen’s private jet, a first-class commercial flight and a flight on a chartered jet; numerous vacations at Melgen’s Caribbean villa in the Dominican Republic and at a hotel room in Paris; and $40,000 in contributions to his legal defense fund and over $750,000 in campaign contribution,” the Department of Justice said in a summation of the indictment.
“Government corruption – at any level of elected office – corrodes the public trust and weakens our democratic system,” Assistant Attorney General Caldwell said in a statement. “It is the fundamental responsibility of the Department of Justice to hold public officials accountable by conducting thorough investigations and seeking an indictment when the facts and the law support it.”
Among the first advocacy groups to comment on the indictment was Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a watchdog whose chairman is Democratic Party insider David Brock.
Before the indictment was publicly released, CREW Executive Director Noah Bookbinder said, “The conduct alleged in today’s indictment of Sen. Menendez is cause for grave concern. The Justice Department’s indictment paints a picture of a high-ranking senator selling his position in exchange for gifts including flights on a private jet. ... The Justice Department deserves credit for its determination to hold Sen. Menendez accountable.”
