Former aide testifies Bob Menendez lobbied for visas for donor’s friends

  You might not know this if you watch the mainstream media but Democratic Senator Bob Menendez is on trial for corruption and bribery. You also might not be aware of the report that Harry Reid contacted Barack Obama’s White House in 2011 and asked the President to intervene in the investigation. 

    Here is a little background in case you missed it:

The two men were indicted in 2015 and face multiple fraud and bribery charges. Prosecutors said they orchestrated a scheme in which Melgen gave Menendez gifts and campaign donations in exchange for Menendez’s political influence.

  But anyway, the trial is now underway and it has not started out well for the Senator from New Jersey. Today a former aide to the Senator testified that Bob Menendez sought visas at the request of Salomon Melgen. Salomon Melgen is on trial with Bob Menendez, he is the man that allegedly bribed him.

  Here is more:

A former staffer for U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez testified Monday that the New Jersey Democrat was involved in helping with the visa applications of friends of a wealthy doctor who is on trial with him.

Under direct questioning from the government, former senior policy adviser Mark Lopes testified that Menendez emailed him in 2008 authorizing a letter of support from Menendez to be sent to consular officials regarding the visa applications of two sisters from the Dominican Republic.

One of the emails sent around the time had a subject line that read: “Dr. Melgen’s request.”

When the applications were denied despite Menendez’s signed letter, Lopes testified, Menendez instructed him to reach out to the U.S. ambassador.

The sisters were friends of Florida ophthalmologist Salomon Melgen, a longtime friend of Menendez’s. 

Certainly looks like pay to play to me.

malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium