Blame Cuba, says Albio Sires about Menendez allegations
U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez has continually denied allegations of his escapades with underage prostitutes in the Dominican Republic financed by friend and political contributor West Palm Beach eye doctor Salomon Melgen.
As can be expected the story has taken on national and even international proportions: Menendez is steps away from becoming the powerful chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: Down in South Florida the FBI and others are investigating Dr. Melgen for not paying taxes (more than $11 million past due) and some speculate questionable dealings with Medicare and Medicaid.
But yesterday (Feb. 1) the story took on ridiculous proportions when another Cuban-American in congress, Rep. Albio Sires, tried to defend Sen. Menendez. Sires has a theory, an unusual one, but still a theory. He told Matt Friedman of The Star Ledger and NJ.com these words:
“I won’t even be surprised if somehow the Cuban government is involved in this to try to damage Bob Menendez because he’s been so steadfast against the Castro government. He’s been a critic all his political life.” Sires continued by stating: “I would not be surprised if they are behind some of this stuff, some of these allegations. The Dominican Republic has a lot of relationships with Cuba.”
Sires succeeded Menendez in the House when the senator was elevated to the Senate.
As I mentioned in a previous blog post, contrary to what Menendez may claim, and now Albio Sires, this dicey situation keeps snowballing for Sen. Menendez. The proof lies somewhere within the facts, which include:
- It was first reported that Menendez’ Dominican Republic trysts were being subsidized by the good (or is it bad?) doctor – a long-time friend of the senator, as Menendez himself has admitted.
- If we are to believe of Menendez’s dallying with girl prostitutes, and if that is proven true, then I must add that it is against U.S. law (no matter the place where you may have had the “affair”) to have sex with a minor. There have been reports that at least one of the “ladies” was 16-years-old.
- Recently the Associated Press reported that the good Sen. Bob, on January 4 of this year, “reimbursed a prominent Florida political donor $58,500 on Jan. 4 of this year for the full cost of two of three trips Menendez took on the donor’s plane to the Dominican Republic in 2010.” The donor, of course, is Dr. Melgen, the senator’s buddy who is being investigated. As for Menendez returning the money: why now? Almost three years later…
- And just this morning (Feb. 1) The Miami Herald is reporting that “Sen. Bob Menendez used his influence to advocate for a Dominican Republic business deal that helped a longtime friend and donor whose South Florida office was raided by federal agents this week.” Herald reporters went on to add: “One company Menendez was apparently referring to: ICSSI, acquired the year before by Dr. Salomon Melgen, a Palm Beach County eye doctor and friend. The firm was seeking to enforce a contract it had won to X-ray Dominican Republic port cargo, that could be worth $500 million to $1 billion over two decades.”
I doubt that the Miami crowd, and even some in New Jersey, will be fooled by the curveball tossed in by Rep. Albio Sires yesterday to help out his friend and mentor Bob Menendez. Blaming Cuba for everything is so passé. Others have used it in the past, but ask David Rivera if it helped him last year…
In fact, if their New Jersey constituents had any smarts they’d start looking into replacing both their Cuban-American members of Congress. No later than the next election for Sires. If things continue to get difficult for Senator Bob Menendez, the law might take care of removing him – before his time is up.
Alvaro F. Fernandez
