Bob Menendez is the senior United States Senator from New Jersey. He is a Democrat. He is currently on trial for corruption in relation to taking bribes for covering for a health care provider that defrauded Medicare out of $105 million. That provider has already been found guilt of fraud.
Menendez is a sitting Senator. In an act of titanic, brass plated ballsiness, he requested leave from his trail to cast votes in the Senate.
The judge denied the motion.
I disagree with the ruling.
I think Menendez should have been allowed to attend the Senate votes.
I think he should be walked into the Capitol Building by Federal Marshalls, in an orange jumpsuit in handcuffs and leg irons, and escorted to his seat. Once the vote was cast, the Marshalls should escort him out again.
The people of New Jersey are entitled to his representation.
The rest of us are entitled to see him be treated like the criminal he is.
This is probably why I’m not a judge.
It’s interesting that Judge Napolitano (on Fox News) said that this order is unconstitutional because of the Debate clause. I don’t agree, because that clause says that members of Congress are privileged from arrest “except in cases of Treason, Felony, or Breach of the Peace”. And corruption is a felony, I believe.
The Democrat Senator Bob Menendez wouldn’t be in an orange jumpsuit unfortunately. He hasn’t been found guilty, YET. An orange jumpsuit would be prejudicial to his ability to get a fair trial. I want him to get a scrupulously fair trial.
I want him to be fairly tried, fairly convicted, and fairly sentenced to spend the rest of his miserable life in jail. Justice would be 90 of his fellow senators investigated, indicted, and put on trial too.
As I understand it he was asking, in essence, for multiple recess of the proceedings, so he could go cast his votes without missing anything happening in court. The judge basically said “No, I’m not putting things on hold for you. If you wish to take your leave of the proceedings to cast your votes, then that’s your prerogative, but the court will continue with or without your presence!”