Re: Fetterman to return Menendez donation - in 'envelopes stuffed with $100 bills'

[Jerry Buchanan]

Rudy Canoza <j_ca...@gmx.com> posted some
news:rij7fl$1get$8...@neodome.net:

> That's rich. One Democrat scumbag dissing on another Democrat
> scumbag.

In addition to calling for U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez's resignation over
federal bribery charges, Sen. John Fetterman is planning to return
$5,000 that the New Jersey Democrat gave to Pennsylvania Democrat's 2022
campaign.

"We are in process of returning the money," Fetterman spokesperson Joe
Calvello toldThe Messenger on Monday, "in envelopes stuffed with $100
bills."

While a Menendez spokesperson did not respond to the outlet's request
for comment, the embattled senator—who on Friday temporarily stepped
down as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee—was defiant on
Monday in response to demands for him to resign from the chamber,
publicly saying that "not only will I be exonerated, I will still be New
Jersey's senior senator."

"Think of the ink spilled and beds wet about how John wearing a Dickies
shirt and shorts will destroy the decorum of the Senate, but yet no one
can muster calling for Menendez to resign."

Menendez and his wife are accused accepting bribes in the form of "cash,
gold, payments toward a home mortgage, compensation for a low-or-no-show
job, a luxury vehicle, and other things of value" in exchange for
helping three businessmen and the Egyptian government.

According to the indictment unsealed Friday, federal agents who raided
the Menendez home found various pieces of possible evidence, including
"over $480,000 in cash—much of it stuffed into envelopes and hidden in
clothing, closets, and a safe."

Fetterman on Saturday was the first senator to join a growing number of
House Democrats and Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy in calling
for Menendez—who is up for reelection next year—to resign now.

Menendez is "entitled to the presumption of innocence under our system,"
Fetterman said, "but he is not entitled to continue to wield influence
over national policy, especially given the serious and specific nature
of the allegations."

In a series of posts on social media Monday, Calvello noted that "more
senators, both Republicans and Democrats, have forcefully denounced how
John Fetterman dresses than have called for Menendez to resign for being
corrupt."

As House Republicans have continued to risk a government shutdown in
recent days, GOP lawmakers and right-wing pundits have been melting down
on social media and cable news over a relaxation of the Senate dress
code that they have blamed on Fetterman, known for sporting more casual
attire on Capitol Hill.

"This is a perfect snapshot of what is wrong with Washington and why
people outside the beltway have no faith in D.C.," Calvello added.
"Think of the ink spilled and beds wet about how John wearing a Dickies
shirt and shorts will destroy the decorum of the Senate, but yet no one
can muster calling for Menendez to resign."

The Lever's David Sirota declared Monday that "the jorts-and-hoodie
senator has the only rational anti-corruption position here, while all
the fancy-suit senators complaining about dress codes but saying nothing
about Menendez now look ridiculous."

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) on Monday afternoon became just the second
senator to urge his indicted colleague to willingly exit the chamber. He
simply said that "Sen. Menendez has broken the public trust and should
resign from the U.S. Senate."

Monday night, Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) became the third, saying: "Sen.
Menendez is entitled to the presumption of innocence. But the people of
New Jersey and the United States Senate are entitled to an effective
senator. The shocking and specific allegations against Sen. Menendez
have wholly compromised his capacity to be that effective senator. I
encourage Sen. Menendez to resign."

https://www.alternet.org/fetterman-menendez/?utm_source=ground.news&utm_m
edium=referral