Menendez, outspoken war critic, gets seat on Foreign Relations

[LynneSin]

THIS is a great appointment. As someone who neighbors New Jersey, we saw alot of Menendez's TV campaign ads and Menendez took on Iraq straight forward about needed to change policy and get our troops out. Sure, I know there will be some comments about the torture bill, which I think the dems knew this one will go to the courts. But Menendez is a great additional to Foreign Relations. I hope the chairman, my senator Joe Biden, listens long & hard to Sen Menendez!


http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1163571567150640.xml&coll=1

Menendez, outspoken war critic, gets seat on Foreign Relations
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
BY ROBERT COHEN
STAR-LEDGER WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Robert Menendez was appointed yesterday to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for the new Congress, a perch that the New Jersey Democrat hopes will give him a voice in advocating a major policy shift regarding the war in Iraq.

<<<<snip>>>>

Menendez, appointed at the start of 2006 to serve out the final year of Gov. Jon Corzine's Senate term, was elected last week to a full six-year term. Throughout his campaign against Republican Tom Kean Jr., Menendez stressed his opposition to the Iraq war and called for a shift in U.S. policy.

"The American people spoke in a loud, unequivocal voice on America's foreign policy and specifically on the war in Iraq," said Menendez.

"We urgently need a course correction," he said. "After billions in national treasure spent, thousands of American troops wounded, and over 2,800 who have made the ultimate sacrifice, it is now clear that we must transition our troops out of Iraq."

[The Backlash Cometh]

1. How is the Dem party going to deal with Menendez's domestic

problems now that the election is over? I'm saying this because he may not survive another election if there is any merit to the corruption investigations.

It's a shame, too, because I think he's a great speaker. But I know New Jersyians who had to swallow hard to vote for him. They, too, wanted a change.

[LynneSin]

2. From what I read, the allegations were bloated, just like the Reid ones

And anyhow, we have six years with Menendez - we'll be fine


From Wikipedia:

Recent allegations of past ethics violations
On August 27, 2006, two Republican state lawmakers filed an ethics complaint against Menendez, alleging he broke conflict-of-interest rules when he rented property out to a nonprofit agency which receives federal funds. Menendez helped the organization win designation as a federally qualified health care center in 1998. That designation allowed the agency to receive additional federal grants<6>. Menendez allies note that the organization in question, the North Hudson Community Action Corp., which provides social services and health care to the poor and was founded in 1960, had received federal funding for years before Menendez was in Congress, and receives its funding based on mathematical formulas<7>. Menendez maintains that he rented the property out below market-value because "he was supportive of its work"<8>. The total rent collected over nine years was over $300,000.

In another controversy, a tape recording from 1999 became public recently, in which Donald Scarcini, a Menendez advisor, can be heard pressuring a psychiatrist to give a contract to one of his supporters as a favor to Menendez. Shortly thereafter, Menendez cut all ties with Scarcini. Menendez denies any knowledge of Scarcini's actions. <9>