Democrats just caught a massive break with Bob Menendezs mistrial

[orangecrush]

Democrats just caught a massive break with Bob Menendezs mistrial

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) may still one day be convicted, but as far as Senate Democrats are concerned, they just dodged the bullet.

The news of a mistrial in Menendez's corruption case Thursday means Democrats won't be confronted with the prospect of trying to keep a convicted felon in the Senate for two months. That's the amount of time until Jan. 16, when Democratic Gov.-elect Phil Murphy replaces Republican Gov. Chris Christie (R). Had Menendez been found guilty, he would have had to hang on to avoid a Republican appointee that would have expanded the GOP's Senate majority from 52-48 to 53-47.

As The Post's Paul Kane wrote a while back, Democrats could have made it work procedurally, but it would have been difficult from a public relations standpoint:

While Menendez would almost certainly appeal such a verdict, the calls for his immediate resignation would be swift and voluminous. And much has been written about the calamity that his departure would bring on the Democratic Party in this Year of the Deciding Vote.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/11/16/democrats-just-caught-a-massive-break-with-bob-menendezs-mistrial/?utm_term=.c06536bb82f9

[SaschaHM]

1. True, but it's a toxic can that gets kicked down the road.

Elections are about public perception, not guilt/innocence. If this hurts his re-election numbers, they're going to have a hell of a time getting him to resign or retire. The DSCC needs to get some pollsters on the ground in NJ asap.

[JustAnotherGen]

4. They would be coming in behind

A very strong network of progressive and liberal action groups - on top of a strong network of Indivisible groups.

I would say this - because I'm very much involved in this -and AFTER The Buono bird flip in 2013 by Democratic "Leadership" at the National Level . . .

I love Menendez - has voted too many times the way I wanted him to - for me to not be proud of my Senator.

However - if you sat at a summer festival, or a music night, or a salsa fest, or a blueberry festival, etc. etc. - I think we are going to see a challenge from the left.

I think in a three way race - Johnson could take the nomination from both he an Wiesnewski.

[orangecrush]

5. Thanks for the info

And for your hard work!

[lagomorph777]

6. It was a GOP-dominated SCOTUS that legalized bribery.

Karma's a bitch man. Now they're going to have to live with Menendez.

[Cicada]

2. Menendez has good odds to overturn any bribery convictio on appeal

But if he is convicted of failing to report he will have a hard time getting that overturned.

Former Governor McConnel did favors for a supplement huckster and got big gifts. Supremes overturned his bribery conviction because the statute requires “official acts” done for something valuable and favors like setting up meetings with regulators isn’t “official.” Menendez seems similar.

[Sanity Claws]

3. Makes it sound like conviction was a done deal

and that the mistrial just delays the inevitable.

Nothing like a fair press. Now if we could one find a fair press.