EDITOR’S NOTE (Nick Stamatakis).  This is the sad end of the story of Senator Menendez, 11 years in the slammer… The lessons to be drawn?  For Menendez, there are many… First, if you genuinely want lots of money, go into a business or some profession… If you are not smart enough to do that and you decide to enter politics (where the average IQ is well below acceptable levels for successful people – this is why George “Tsu-Tsunis” wants to run for office….), then do not fall in love late in life… Because, as we all know, “an old fool in love is twice the fool of a young one.”   Or, “A wise man grows old, but love makes him young—and reckless.”… I could go on with proverbs – they are endless because the situation is quite usual…

There are also some lessons for those among us who insist on “feeding the beast in DC”, in other words, creating an army of “lobbyists” to promote causes we care about… I have news for you – and to some of you, I gave the news last year, but you would not listen. The era of “feeding the beast in DC” is over.  For the next several years, as the first days of the Trump administration show, we are entering the era of “killing the beast in the swamp of DC.” If we want to press for our common goals as Greek Americans, we better find novel and efficient ways of doing business. There are plenty, we just have to figure out the new ways of achieving goals.  But these ways will have little to do with making Congressmen and Senators filthy rich… Do not ask me more, start thinking…

January 29, 2025, n.stamatakis@aol.com   www.helleniscope.com

DISCLAIMER: The views and statements expressed in this article constitute constitutionally protected opinions of this author.

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Former US Senator Bob Menendez sentenced to 11 years in prison in gold bar bribery case

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U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) trial in connection with an alleged corrupt relationship with three New Jersey businessmen, in New York City
U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) exits Federal Court following his bribery trial in connection with an alleged corrupt relationship with three New Jersey businessmen, in New York City, U.S., July 16, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
  • Prosecutors sought 15-year sentence for Menendez’s bribery and foreign agent charges
  • Menendez’s lawyers argued for leniency due to age and public service
NEW YORK, Jan 29 (Reuters) – Former U.S. Senator Bob Menendez was sentenced on Wednesday to 11 years in prison over his 2024 conviction for taking bribes including gold bars in exchange for favors for Egypt and New Jersey businessmen.
U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein imposed the sentence at a hearing in Manhattan federal court.
Menendez, a once-powerful Democrat who spent 18-1/2 years representing New Jersey in the Senate, was found guilty in July on all 16 felony counts he faced, including bribery and fraud. He was also found guilty of acting as a foreign agent, a first for a U.S. Senator.
Advertisement · Scroll to continueHe resigned from the Senate in August.
Prosecutors with the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s office urged Stein to sentence Menendez to 15 years in prison.
They say he shepherded military aid to Egypt, provided assistance to Qatar, and interfered in local prosecutions of allied businessmen in exchange for bribes including gold, cash and a Mercedes-Benz.
“Menendez, who swore an oath to represent the United States and the State of New Jersey, instead put his high office up for sale in exchange for this hoard of bribes,” prosecutors wrote in a Jan. 9 court filing.
Menendez, 71, pleaded not guilty and has vowed to appeal.
His lawyers said the former chair of the Senate’s foreign relations committee should spend no more than 2-1/4 years behind bars, citing his age, decades of public service, charitable works, devotion to family, and financial and professional ruin.
Earlier on Wednesday, Stein sentenced two convicted co-defendants. New Jersey businessmen Fred Daibes received seven years in prison and Wael Hana got just over eight years.

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Menendez’s wife, Nadine Menendez, was to be tried with her husband on corruption charges, but her trial was postponed after her lawyers said she needed treatment for breast cancer. Her trial is scheduled for March 18, and she has pleaded not guilty.

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Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Lisa Shumaker

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4 COMMENTS

  1. We must have a blue moon tonight. I whole heartedly agree with Nick. Menendez had the corruption bug for years. His wife made things worse. She jumped in with both feet and tried to extract luxuries that she has never had. He finally got caught.

    The only sad thing is that he cared for Cyprus and Greece. IT’s hard to replace him. I’m just wondering, how no Greeks were involved in bribing him. Did he support Greece because he is a philhellene? Or the Egyptians were bigger “donors”?

    One lesson we should draw is that money and more money do not bring happiness. Have enough to live comfortable. Then, enjoy life

    • Did he really care about Greece / Cyprus, or was it perhaps that the Turks didn’t offer as much as others may have? We’ll never know the real truth, but the name of Menendez will forever be accompanied with skepticism and retrospective speculation…We have only been told about the Egyptian “exchange”…the rest is classified, but usually where you see one roach, there are many more hiding in the walls…

      • Helleniscope, the only beneficiaries to censorship of my post… the Jewish and Evangelical Christian Zionist Agent of Israel that occupy the U.S congress and Presidency ..who are all guilty of the Heinous crimes committed by Israel….
        Yes Marcos ..we have only been told about the Egyptian “Exchange” ..the rest are classified by Greek Media TNH and Social Media platforms like Helleniscope and Greek Secret Societies like Ahepa who promoted the Convicted foreign Zionist agents of Israel, Ukraine, and America… Menendez! What they also classify that he was the architect of the criminal Economic Sanctions, lethal weapons, financial military aid and warfare on Syria, Palestine, Gaza, Lebanon, libya, Iran, Russia etc which starved, terrorized. and murdered the civilian populist of countries of the world ,which he should have subject to a Nuremburg Tribunal trial and execution..for collaborating in War Crimes, Crimes against humanity and genocide which is exactly what Netanyahue and his regime have been convicted of by the ICC…and have issued Arrest warrants for .. and Menendez should have been issued as well !
        Yes Marcos…the number one compensated Senator among all the Senator bribed by the Israeli lobby..was Menendez…and yes..he did nothing for Greece or Cyprus other than to usher in the take over of the Economic , Political, Military and Religious Sovereignty of Greece and Cyprus by ruling Zionist parties of America and Israel! 11 years… and we can expect a shortened term for his crimes .. is an insult to humanity!
        This is how Israel deflects its criminalities of bribing, blackmailing and threatening the US Congress, the Senate and now the Pentagon through blaming another Arab country yet hiding the real culprit…Israel. No one did more for Israel than this miserable greedy, war criminal sell out. Our US Congress, the Senate, the White House, the Pentagon, the entire legacy media, and most PR tycoons are owned by Israel.

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