ABC Gives Sen. Menendez Six Minute Interview With No Questions About FBI's Hooker Inv

[spursncowboys]

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2013/01/27/abc-gives-sen-menendez-six-minute-interview-no-questions-about-fbis-h#ixzz2JCXgdyuV

[ElNono]

Apparently his office already responded to the allegations...

Here, in another MSM site:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/01/25/fbi-mum-on-claim-sen-menendez-saw-prostitutes-in-dominican-republic/

[Oh, Gee!!]

what could she possibly ask him that wouldn't be answered with "no comment?" I would be a stupid interview.

[Spurminator]

With a total of six minutes of air time, Raddatz didn't ask one single question about the FBI's investigation of Menendez.Can you imagine her ignoring such an issue if she were interviewing a Republican? That probably would have been the first order of business if not the entire six minutes.
As such, why the double standard?
Questions for these interviews are typically pre-discussed. I'd put the likelihood at about 98% that Menendez and his handlers said they would not field questions about the prostitution investigation. So yes, I can imagine Raddatz giving a similar interview to a Republican under investigation. Can you imagine Newsbusters writing a blog like this if she did?

[spursncowboys]

Questions for these interviews are typically pre-discussed. I'd put the likelihood at about 98% that Menendez and his handlers said they would not field questions about the prostitution investigation. So yes, I can imagine Raddatz giving a similar interview to a Republican under investigation. Can you imagine Newsbusters writing a blog like this if she did?

Doubt it. I can't remember a repub interview who had a scandal not get reemed. Even when they tell the interviewer that they wouldn't discuss that.

[spursncowboys]

Apparently his office already responded to the allegations...

Here, in another MSM site:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/01/25/fbi-mum-on-claim-sen-menendez-saw-prostitutes-in-dominican-republic/

His staff denying an overall accusation is one thing.
Video coming out of the prostitutes and then having the ability to actually interview the man in question is another.

[spursncowboys]

Asked about the allegations, Menendez spokeswoman Tricia Enright refused to answer any questions on the subject. “We’re not going to respond to a completely false accusation,” she wrote by email.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2012/11/01/women-sen-bob-menendez-paid-us-for-sex-in-the-dominican-republic/#ixzz2JJ54vhdA


Yep case closed. Why would journalists ask questions and follow-ups?

[Oh, Gee!!]

Yep case closed. Why would journalists ask questions and follow-ups? [/FONT][/COLOR]

what is the follow-up to the senator's unequivocal denial? lemme guess: "Are you sure you didn't do it? oh, you are. one more follow-up, then. Are you really sure?"

[ElNono]

His staff denying an overall accusation is one thing.
Video coming out of the prostitutes and then having the ability to actually interview the man in question is another.

The staff email quoted is from the same day as the interview... after the alleged prostitute video became public...

[spursncowboys]

what is the follow-up to the senator's unequivocal denial? lemme guess: "Are you sure you didn't do it? oh, you are. one more follow-up, then. Are you really sure?"

Yeah because that b.s. worked with politicians before. This would be comical if it wasn't so accepted that D's get passes that R's don't.

[spursncowboys]

The staff email quoted is from the same day as the interview... after the alleged prostitute video became public...

And...

So had they known that, the "journalist" should have asked him questions about his FBI investigation?

[ElNono]

Yep case closed. Why would journalists ask questions and follow-ups?

What are you implying? :lol

Apparently, even the group that alerted the FBI isn't even sure the source is credible:

Still, Sloan raised concerns about the credibility of the source, saying she is "increasingly suspicious" about the alleged facts in the case.

"He refused to ever be contacted by us by phone," she said. "It's really easy to make a lot of allegations. ... Who knows ... if that's even a real person."

[ElNono]

So had they known that, the "journalist" should have asked him questions about his FBI investigation?

Why would he know anything about that? Shouldn't the journalist ask the FBI?

Do you think the FBI keeps Bob Menendez up to date on the investigation? :lol

[spursncowboys]

What are you implying? :lol

Apparently, even the group that alerted the FBI isn't even sure the source is credible:

Still, Sloan raised concerns about the credibility of the source, saying she is "increasingly suspicious" about the alleged facts in the case.

"He refused to ever be contacted by us by phone," she said. "It's really easy to make a lot of allegations. ... Who knows ... if that's even a real person."


So because the source isn't credible, the "journalist" should not have asked him anything on it?
:lol ok dude.
So not only is the MSM not biased but they shouldn't follow up on leads or get direct quotes when what?
The FBI is involved?
It's a politician?
It's a Democrat
???

[spursncowboys]

Why would he know anything about that? Shouldn't the journalist ask the FBI?

Do you think the FBI keeps Bob Menendez up to date on the investigation? :lol

I don't know? I also don't know why that is funny. If the "journalist" is doing a story on the event, then yes. If the "journalist" is doing an interview with (D) Bob Menendez, then sure why not. Get the quote from the FBI. Then get a quote from (D) Menendez.

:lol Glad to see how you want your news.

[Oh, Gee!!]

If the case goes anywhere (which it sounds like it won't given the shadiness of the witness), then the media should definitely ask him about. but for now, nobody knows nothing really, so what could you possibly ask the senator except whether he did it or not?

[ElNono]

So because the source isn't credible, the "journalist" should not have asked him anything on it?
:lol ok dude.

This is like saying Barry should continually answer questions about him being a Muslim or born in Kenya. :lol

The journalist didn't ask, MSM bias!

[spursncowboys]

What are you implying? :lol

Apparently, even the group that alerted the FBI isn't even sure the source is credible:

Still, Sloan raised concerns about the credibility of the source, saying she is "increasingly suspicious" about the alleged facts in the case.

"He refused to ever be contacted by us by phone," she said. "It's really easy to make a lot of allegations. ... Who knows ... if that's even a real person."


What are you implying?

A politician should not be asked questions when he is accused of a crime against children?

[spursncowboys]

This is like saying Barry should continually answer questions about him being a Muslim or born in Kenya. :lol

The journalist didn't ask, MSM bias!

:lol
that makes no sense. Which since you are protecting a democrat does make sense. Being a muslim is not a crime. FTR

[ElNono]

I don't know? I also don't know why that is funny. If the "journalist" is doing a story on the event, then yes. If the "journalist" is doing an interview with (D) Bob Menendez, then sure why not. Get the quote from the FBI. Then get a quote from (D) Menendez.

because this is a non-story until proven it is? :lol

Some dude posts a video of some chick saying she slept with <xxxxxx> when she was underage and now <xxxxxx> needs to answer questions about it???


:lol Glad to see how you want your news.

That's pretty ironic. This thread reeks of butthurt about not getting the news the way you want them. :lol

[Oh, Gee!!]

What are you implying?

A politician should not be asked questions when he is accused of a crime against children?

they should, but right now all we have is a dubious "source" making allegations.

[spursncowboys]

Journalist didn't ask a question. Nothing to see here.

[spursncowboys]

they should, but right now all we have is a dubious "source" making allegations.

So the journalist must decide the level of credibility of the source before asking a question?

[ElNono]

:lol
that makes no sense. Which since you are protecting a democrat does make sense. Being a muslim is not a crime. FTR

But being Kenyan and US President is... :lol

:lol thinking this is about MSM bias or Democrats...

I've yet to vote for a Democrat and as a matter of fact, I didn't vote for Menendez when I had a chance (he's actually Senator from NJ)... but keep the echo chamber going :lol

[ElNono]

How dare the MSM media not ask about some obscure internet video! Bias!

[Oh, Gee!!]

So the journalist must decide the level of credibility of the source before asking a question?

sure. and of the overall evidence, which is sketchy at this point. yes, journalists have discretion on issues like whether a story sounds credible, what questions to ask, when to ask them, etc. if they don't have standards and use discretion, journalism will be reduced to gossip like TMZ or E!

[ElNono]

Fox didn't ask Palin if Africa is a continent! Bias!

[spursncowboys]

because this is a non-story until proven it is? :lol

Some dude posts a video of some chick saying she slept with <xxxxxx> when she was underage and now <xxxxxx> needs to answer questions about it???
The FBI has an open case about it. <xxxxxxx> should probably be asked the question.




That's pretty ironic. This thread reeks of butthurt about not getting the news the way you want them. :lol
It's not very ironic. Because, while protecting your team, you are missing the point like Pearl Harbor the movie. But you are correct I am mad that a journalist doesn't ask a question. Either the guy is bad at his job, or was wooed by (D) Menendez or it is just yet another story of MSM bias. But I am glad to see you are more interested in adding a lol to the end of each comment. You are making no sense but complete defense on something that is pretty easy to see the journalist did a bad job. But good job.

[spursncowboys]

sure. and of the overall evidence, which is sketchy at this point. yes, journalists have discretion on issues like whether a story sounds credible, what questions to ask, when to ask them, etc. if they don't have standards and use discretion, journalism will be reduced to gossip like TMZ or E!

Yeah I agree with that. However, when there is a FBI investigation, then maybe they should get a quote. Who is saying these sources are not credible btw?

[spursncowboys]

How dare the MSM media not ask about some obscure internet video! Bias!

Oh dammit. I forgot my :lol

[ElNono]

The FBI has an open case about it. <xxxxxxx> should probably be asked the question.

That's not what the FBI said.


It's not very ironic. Because, while protecting your team, you are missing the point like Pearl Harbor the movie. But you are correct I am mad that a journalist doesn't ask a question. Either the guy is bad at his job, or was wooed by (D) Menendez or it is just yet another story of MSM bias. But I am glad to see you are more interested in adding a lol to the end of each comment. You are making no sense but complete defense on something that is pretty easy to see the journalist did a bad job. But good job.

I don't have a team. I don't even like Menendez.

I find it hilarious though that you crawl to obscure internet sites and allegations to keep building on your confirmation bias.

I though Fox (AFAIK, not a (D) team player) handled the matter exactly the way you would expect it to be handled: confirmed this is nothing but allegations at this point and a non-story.

[Oh, Gee!!]

Yeah I agree with that. However, when there is a FBI investigation, then maybe they should get a quote. Who is saying these sources are not credible btw?

melanie sloan, the person who forwarded the complaint to the FBI

However, Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, confirmed to FoxNews.com that her organization forwarded information on this issue to the FBI's Washington office and Justice Department criminal division on July 17, 2012.

"I believe that they started an investigation based on the information we forwarded," she said. Correspondence between the supposed source and CREW was also posted online this week. Sloan confirmed the authenticity of those emails.

Still, Sloan raised concerns about the credibility of the source, saying she is "increasingly suspicious" about the alleged facts in the case.

"He refused to ever be contacted by us by phone," she said. "It's really easy to make a lot of allegations. ... Who knows ... if that's even a real person."

She said CREW is no longer investigating.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/01/25/fbi-mum-on-claim-sen-menendez-saw-prostitutes-in-dominican-republic/#ixzz2JJEjw5ER

[ElNono]

However, when there is a FBI investigation

The FBI is declining to comment on newly emerged documents that appear to show the agency investigating allegations that Sen. Bob Menendez "received the services of young prostitutes" while in the Dominican Republic -- a charge the senator's office has rejected for months.

FBI spokesman Jason Pack said he could not confirm whether there was an investigation. "DOJ policy prohibits us from confirming the existence or not of an investigation," he said.


:lol

[spursncowboys]

That's not what the FBI said.



I don't have a team. I don't even like Menendez.

I find it hilarious though that you crawl to obscure internet sites and allegations to keep building on your confirmation bias.

I though Fox (AFAIK, not a (D) team player) handled the matter exactly the way you would expect it to be handled: confirmed this is nothing but allegations at this point and a non-story.

FOX is a business. I do agree that the editor had the journalist do their job. Putting in all the actual facts in their news report. However, if they had gotten an interview with the Congressman, I would have expected them to ask the question.

[spursncowboys]

That's not what the FBI said.



I don't have a team. I don't even like Menendez.

I find it hilarious though that you crawl to obscure internet sites and allegations to keep building on your confirmation bias.

I though Fox (AFAIK, not a (D) team player) handled the matter exactly the way you would expect it to be handled: confirmed this is nothing but allegations at this point and a non-story.

You don't have a team... That comment is worth a :lol for sure.

[spursncowboys]

melanie sloan, the person who forwarded the complaint to the FBI

However, Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, confirmed to FoxNews.com that her organization forwarded information on this issue to the FBI's Washington office and Justice Department criminal division on July 17, 2012.

"I believe that they started an investigation based on the information we forwarded," she said. Correspondence between the supposed source and CREW was also posted online this week. Sloan confirmed the authenticity of those emails.

Still, Sloan raised concerns about the credibility of the source, saying she is "increasingly suspicious" about the alleged facts in the case.

"He refused to ever be contacted by us by phone," she said. "It's really easy to make a lot of allegations. ... Who knows ... if that's even a real person."

She said CREW is no longer investigating.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/01/25/fbi-mum-on-claim-sen-menendez-saw-prostitutes-in-dominican-republic/#ixzz2JJEjw5ER


Whether she is credible or not. I would expect any politician to have to answer to an allegation like that. Maybe they were trying to blackmail. Or maybe they were trying to stay incognito since they weren't in the type of business that needs that kind of advertisement. Either way that is, imo, a bad job of getting the story. Whether because of a bad journalist who doesn't do his job well or media bias who was pushed by their editor not to push. It could also just be subconsciousness. I think the common sense thing is to ask the question, unless you don't work for a credible news source and won't make this a story.

[ElNono]

What's :lol-worthy is the FBI spokesperson destroying your argument he should be asked because they have a case open about it.

Not surprising you read "Democrat caught with underage prostitute" in some obscure website and got a boner, tbh.

I don't have a team. I've criticized Dems plenty of times in here, including the Prez, the DoJ, Hillary, etc etc etc. I can say with a straight face I never voted for one either.

The problem is red team members like you automatically think that if you make fun of red teamers, he must be a dem! As I explained Yoni many times, it's not all black and white (or red and blue).

I'm actually hoping the FBI does come out and finds out this shit was true, tbh... I don't like Bob Menendez any more than you do...

[admiralsnackbar]

Yeah because that b.s. worked with politicians before. This would be comical if it wasn't so accepted that D's get passes that R's don't.

Stop being such a victim, snc. You think the press will ever pass up the opportunity to expose a scandal? Remember Congressman Weiner or Gov. Spitzer, both of whom were lionized darlings of the Dems in one of the bluest states in the country (NY)? Both those guys were destroyed by the mainstream liberal press. Never forget Big Media is in it for the money, and there is no greater risk/return ratio money-maker in journalism than a sex scandal.

[admiralsnackbar]

There was also that popular 90's president... what was his name? :lol

[ElNono]

There was also that popular 90's president... what was his name? :lol

There was no bias in the 90's :cry

[spursncowboys]

There was no bias in the 90's :cry
Lol. Who broke that story? NBC, ABC, CNN, CBS, MSNBC, NYT, WSJ or the fairly unknown website at the time-Drudge Report?

[spursncowboys]

Stop being such a victim, snc. You think the press will ever pass up the opportunity to expose a scandal? Remember Congressman Weiner or Gov. Spitzer, both of whom were lionized darlings of the Dems in one of the bluest states in the country (NY)? Both those guys were destroyed by the mainstream liberal press. Never forget Big Media is in it for the money, and there is no greater risk/return ratio money-maker in journalism than a sex scandal.

I'm not stating it as a "woe is me and my side; it's not fair", but merely as a fact. Once a story breaks, most of the time the media will run with it. In that way I agree with you that it is profit style business. But I do believe that the large majority of journalists are liberal minded. That's understandable. Everyone who starts repetitively writing stories and going through the motions will just letting their views get in the way of the facts. However their editors should be catching it. That is if they want to. Or if they are catching it. That's one part of it.
Then there is the bigger side. Like not reporting on the Tea Party staged events. Then spending countless amount of time with the OWS. Or spending countless amount of time, money and frontpage news on republican scandals while pushing Dem scandals in the back pages or not covering it at all. Replaying stupid things that Conservative radio entertainers and TV talking heads say but not bringing up the other sides moronic comments.
I have no problem with the news being tough on politicians but just wish they did it for both sides.
I would love to see a real reporter go for questions that might make Obama actually prepare for it.

I do find it humorous after 2007 anyone could actually think that 85% of the media isn't biased.

[ElNono]

Lol. Who broke that story? NBC, ABC, CNN, CBS, MSNBC, NYT, WSJ or the fairly unknown website at the time-Drudge Report?

That story was backed up by recordings made by Linda Tripp and the fact that Lewinsky actually worked with Clinton

And Drudge tossed a lot of shit against the wall to see what sticks... see:
http://www.drudgereportarchives.com/dsp/specialReports_pc_carden_detail.htm?reportID={B5E2 DC5F-DCB0-4A4A-AD05-95EF060CBA36}

Does Clinton or any politician has to answer to any question about any allegation? :lol

[Woo Bum-kon]

So the journalist must decide the level of credibility of the source before asking a question?

...yeah.

[ElNono]

snc, nobody is saying media has no bias... However, there's MSM for every taste out there, and this thread is absolutely all about "woe is me and my team".

blue teamer when Dem is interviewed by Fox News: "lol, they just asked him a gotcha question"
red teamer when Dem is interviewed by Fox News: "Fox always asks the tough questions!"

red teamer when GOP is interviewed by MSNBC: "lol, they just asked him a gotcha question"
blue teamer when GOP is interviewed by MSNBC: "MSNBC always asks the tough questions!"

blue teamer when GOP is interviewed by Fox News: "they never ask him the tough questions, bias! :cry"
red teamer when Dem is interviewed by MSNBC: "they never ask him the tough questions, bias! :cry"

[spursncowboys]

What's :lol-worthy is the FBI spokesperson destroying your argument he should be asked because they have a case open about it.

Not surprising you read "Democrat caught with underage prostitute" in some obscure website and got a boner, tbh.

I don't have a team. I've criticized Dems plenty of times in here, including the Prez, the DoJ, Hillary, etc etc etc. I can say with a straight face I never voted for one either.

The problem is red team members like you automatically think that if you make fun of red teamers, he must be a dem! As I explained Yoni many times, it's not all black and white (or red and blue).

I'm actually hoping the FBI does come out and finds out this shit was true, tbh... I don't like Bob Menendez any more than you do...
Not surprised you are on full defense when you see D

[spursncowboys]

Does Clinton or any politician has to answer to any question about any allegation? :lol
You got the lol on there so congrats but wtf is your question?

[spursncowboys]

snc, nobody is saying media has no bias... However, there's MSM for every taste out there, and this thread is absolutely all about "woe is me and my team".

blue teamer when Dem is interviewed by Fox News: "lol, they just asked him a gotcha question"
red teamer when Dem is interviewed by Fox News: "Fox always asks the tough questions!"

red teamer when GOP is interviewed by MSNBC: "lol, they just asked him a gotcha question"
blue teamer when GOP is interviewed by MSNBC: "MSNBC always asks the tough questions!"

blue teamer when GOP is interviewed by Fox News: "they never ask him the tough questions, bias! :cry"
red teamer when Dem is interviewed by MSNBC: "they never ask him the tough questions, bias! :cry"

If you read into it that it is a my team is treated one way but not the other team, there is nothing I can do for you. Regardless of my intentions for putting up this article, your response to it is a huge "leave my team alone"
:toast

[spursncowboys]

snc, nobody is saying media has no bias... However, there's MSM for every taste out there, and this thread is absolutely all about "woe is me and my team".

blue teamer when Dem is interviewed by Fox News: "lol, they just asked him a gotcha question"
red teamer when Dem is interviewed by Fox News: "Fox always asks the tough questions!"

red teamer when GOP is interviewed by MSNBC: "lol, they just asked him a gotcha question"
blue teamer when GOP is interviewed by MSNBC: "MSNBC always asks the tough questions!"

blue teamer when GOP is interviewed by Fox News: "they never ask him the tough questions, bias! :cry"
red teamer when Dem is interviewed by MSNBC: "they never ask him the tough questions, bias! :cry"

Fox does not get the kind of interviews that the others get. And you completely forgot CNN, ABC, and NYT in your broad generalization.

[ElNono]

If you read into it that it is a my team is treated one way but not the other team, there is nothing I can do for you. Regardless of my intentions for putting up this article, your response to it is a huge "leave my team alone"
:toast

Your intentions are clear as a day. My response was a Fox story addressing your faux outrage about the MSM media.


Fox does not get the kind of interviews that the others get. And you completely forgot CNN, ABC, and NYT in your broad generalization.

Sure they do. And they go just as soft/hard on the persons they want to go soft/hard on.

Feel free to expand my broad generalization to whatever your MSM confirmation bias takes you :toast

I frankly don't watch much of CNN or ABC. I do read the Times since it's my local Newspaper.

[spursncowboys]

Your intentions are clear as a day. My response was a Fox story addressing your faux outrage about the MSM media.

You would think since I'm not trying to hide my meanings like yourself



Sure they do. And they go just as soft/hard on the persons they want to go soft/hard on.

Feel free to expand my broad generalization to whatever your MSM confirmation bias takes you :toast

I frankly don't watch much of CNN or ABC. I do read the Times since it's my local Newspaper.

Ok. So Fox is biased. Doesn't take away my point that this journalist didn't do his job and I think it is because of media bias.

[ElNono]

You would think since I'm not trying to hide my meanings like yourself

So why are you're saying this is not about "woe is me and my side; it's not fair"? :lol


Ok. So Fox is biased. Doesn't take away my point that this journalist didn't do his job and I think it is because of media bias.


red teamer when Dem is interviewed by MSNBC: "they never ask him the tough questions, bias! :cry"

I'll disagree the journalist didn't do his job. The FBI won't even confirm there's an investigation. What's there to ask?

There's a lot of things to hate Bob Menendez for, including the fact he's a dem, but what you're looking for is a public character assassination over allegations.

I don't agree with that, and I don't agree with that if it would be a GOP politician either.

EDIT: doesn't mean jokes about Menendez and underage prostitutes wouldn't crack me up.

[admiralsnackbar]

Ok. So Fox is biased. Doesn't take away my point that this journalist didn't do his job and I think it is because of media bias.

You can think whatever you want to, but rest assured that if this alleged scandal actually broke after X reporter got a 6 min crack at the subject when there were already murmurs of the indiscretion on the first page of a google search, management would see to it that said reporter not be a reporter much longer (unless they worked for MSNBC) because his lack of cursory research would have cost them a fortune.. To further argue that the reporter's politics caused him to ignore the issue seems a little under-cooked without further evidence, don't you think? The reality is that the 24/7 modern multimedia news format needs talking heads and content to survive, and won't risk losing "access" to public figures unless a higher, more actionable profit stream presents itself. In that sense, many reporters are total pussies, but it isn't a partisan issue as much as an economic one.

[Spurminator]

SnC have you ever stopped to think that maybe the reason you perceive such an extreme double standard is because you read sites like Newsbusters.org?

[Th'Pusher]

SnC have you ever stopped to think that maybe the reason you perceive such an extreme double standard is because you read sites like Newsbusters.org?
And The Blaze Glenn Beck defender...SnC is a full on consumer of right-wing rabble rousing media and doesn't seem to understand that he is consuming right wing rabble rousing media.

[spursncowboys]

So why are you're saying this is not about "woe is me and my side; it's not fair"? :lol You're retarded

[ElNono]

You're retarded

This isn't about me...

[spursncowboys]

ElNono: then stop with the clown act.

[ElNono]

I disagree it's a clown act... the whole "woe is me" is easily solved by using your TV remote...

[Oh, Gee!!]

SnC, to be fair, you do seem really butthurt in this thread.

[spursncowboys]

Oh, Gee!! Well thanks. I'm not...IM NOT IM NOT IM NOT!!!!!!!

Now i will stop and go hold my breathe

[spursncowboys]

FBI raids West Palm Beach office of doctor tied to U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez

D
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/01/29/3207543/fbi-raids-west-palm-beach-office.html#storylink=cpy

[spursncowboys]

Is there validity yet?

[Oh, Gee!!]

Is there validity yet?

maybe the search will provide some answers. maybe a real reporter will call the senator and ask him what the FBI found.

[ElNono]

Apparently the Daily Caller already received a statement from Menendez...

“I’m not going to respond to the fallacious allegations of your story,” Menendez told the Daily Caller on Monday when a reporter caught up with him on a train in Washington.

Like I said, hope it turns out to be true...

[spursncowboys]

Oh, Gee!! Yeah luckily a real reporter did get a quote. But it was a bum rush style. Not able to press.
Like I said, I didn't expect Menendez to make any statement but there were things that the reporter should have asked.
Why did he not report his travel to the Committee that he's supposed to report travel to?
If I was the journalist and had that same mentality that it's just a bunch of prostitutes who don't have credibility. Then if the story starts having more to it, I would be kicking myself for not just getting some quotes. Or by pressing a little.

[Oh, Gee!!]

I was being sarcastic, SnC. How would Menendez be able to say what the FBI found in his friend's office without engaging in some serious speculation?

[ElNono]

We now know his friend is being investigated by the FBI...

[spursncowboys]

I was being sarcastic, SnC. How would Menendez be able to say what the FBI found in his friend's office without engaging in some serious speculation?
1. I knew you were being facetious.
2. What are you talking about?

[spursncowboys]

Two FBI sources have told The Daily Caller that the bureau’s inquiry into Democratic New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez is now based in New Jersey, not Miami. One added that pressure is mounting from the highest levels of the Justice Department to pursue the investigation.The change of focus away from the bureau’s Miami field office indicates that the government is focused primarily on Sen. Menendez — and not on his longtime donor Dr. Salomon Melgen, as political observers have speculated.


Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/02/06/fbi-sources-menendez-investigation-moved-to-newark-nj/#ixzz2KA4rnKNn

[ElNono]

dailycaller still pushing this :lol

[Th'Pusher]

Menendez a bought and paid for politician to be sure. But, much to the chagrin of snc, likely not a pedophile. I'm sure snc will praise the feds and the Obama administration for rooting out the medicare fraud though.


Sen. Menendez contacted top officials in friend’s Medicare disputeBy Carol D. Leonnig (http://www.washingtonpost.com/carol-d-leonnig/2011/02/25/ABOF4CJ_page.html) and Jerry Markon (http://www.washingtonpost.com/jerry-markon/2011/03/02/ABFbf0M_page.html), Wednesday, February 6, 8:28 PMSen. Robert Menendez raised concerns with top federal health-care officials twice in recent years about their finding that a Florida eye doctor — a close friend and major campaign donor — had overbilled the government by $8.9 million for care at his clinic, Menendez aides said Wednesday.
Menendez (D-N.J.) initially contacted federal officials in 2009 about the government’s audit of Salomon Melgen, complaining to the director overseeing Medicare payments that it was unfair to penalize the doctor because the billing rules were ambiguous, the aides said.
Last year, in a meeting with the acting administrator of the agency in charge of Medicare and Medicaid, Menendez again questioned whether federal auditors had been fair in their assessment of Melgen’s billing for eye injections to treat macular degeneration, the senator’s aides said.
The agency had ordered Melgen to repay the $8.9 million, and at the time of both conversations, Melgen was disputing the agency’s conclusion. His appeal continues to this day.
Menendez’s office provided this account of his contacts with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services after The Washington Post asked about the role he had played in the long-standing dispute between Melgen and the agency over his billing practices.
Menendez, who became chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this month, is under scrutiny because of his close relationship with Melgen. The doctor donated more than $700,000 last year to Menendez’s reelection campaign and other Senate Democrats. And when Melgen needed help with a port security contract in the Dominican Republic last year, Menendez urged U.S. officials to press the country to carry out the multimillion-dollar agreement.
Menendez is facing a Senate ethics inquiry about two free trips he took in 2010 on Melgen’s private plane to the doctor’s seaside mansion in the Dominican Republic. Menendez acknowledged this month that he had not properly disclosed the trips. He wrote a personal check for $58,500 to reimburse Melgen.
Meanwhile, a federal investigation of what law enforcement officials say are allegations of health-care fraud by Melgen escalated last week when FBI agents and health-care investigators raided medical offices in West Palm Beach where he runs Vitreo-Retinal Consultants. The teams spent nearly 24 hours searching the premises and removing dozens of boxes containing billing and medical records and computer files.
Federal investigators and health-care auditors have had concerns about Melgen’s billing practices at various times over the past decade, two former federal officials said. In part, they have examined the volume of eye injections, surgeries and laser treatments performed at his West Palm Beach clinic.
But a Menendez aide said Wednesday that the senator did not know Melgen was under formal investigation for possible fraud until the well-publicized raid last week.
“Senator Menendez was never aware of and has not intervened in any Medicare fraud investigation on behalf of Vitreo Retinal Consultants,” his office said in a statement.
The senator’s conversation with federal officials about Melgen’s case was unrelated to the current investigation, Menendez aides said.
“On a separate issue regarding Medicare reimbursement, he has in the past raised concerns with CMS about conflicting guidelines and ambiguity in CMS rules that are difficult for providers to understand and can lead to judgments after the fact,” the statement said. “His interest was in making sure providers were not penalized if CMS clarified or changed the rules of the game retroactively.”
Alan Reider, Melgen’s attorney, said Wednesday that his client has returned the government money in dispute but is contesting the CMS audit finding so he can reclaim the money. Reider said Melgen believes he was following Medicare guidelines. Reider added that Melgen was not aware that his practice was under investigation until federal agents arrived at his clinic last week.
At issue in the reimbursement dispute is Melgen’s multiple use of individual vials for eye injections to treat macular degeneration. Federal auditors have said Melgen often billed the government three to four times for injections from a single vial, according to two federal officials and lawyers familiar with the case.
The government’s Medicare program reimburses providers $2,000 for each vial, so Melgen was billing $6,000 to $8,000 for each vial.
Melgen’s attorneys said the doctor was properly billing for treating four patients with medical injections, albeit from one vial.
After CMS ruled in 2008 that Melgen would have to repay the government, he and his legal representatives contacted Menendez’s office, arguing that the finding was unfair, the senator’s aides said. Menendez’s staff members had several conversations with agency officials to learn more about the billing rules and the details of Melgen’s case in particular, the aides said.
In July 2009, Menendez called Jonathan Blum, the Medicare director at CMS, to express concern, the aides said. Menendez brought up Melgen’s case, they said, in the context of broader concerns about the guidelines.
Then, in June 2012, Menendez raised Melgen’s case again at a meeting with CMS Acting Administrator Marilyn Tavenner, aides recounted. They said the primary subject of the meeting was the implementation of President Obama’s health-care overhaul.
The aides said Menendez never urged the CMS to take specific action on Melgen’s case.
Blum and Tavenner declined to comment through a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services.
Melgen frequently cited his connection to Menendez, according to two former federal officials and doctors in South Florida.
When federal health-care fraud investigators were questioning him several years ago about his billing practices, he invoked the senator’s name, the former officials said.
“He used Menendez’s name all the time. He would say, “Menendez is a good friend of mine, and he knows I never did anything wrong,’ ” said a former senior federal official familiar with the investigation.
In Florida, it was more threatening, several doctors in the South Florida region recounted. After one local eye surgeon criticized Melgen’s treatment methods in discussions with other Florida doctors, Melgen warned that he had important friends in the Senate, including Menendez, said two doctors familiar with the exchange. They said Melgen cautioned that his Washington friends could arrange an intensive federal audit of the surgeon’s practice.
Reider, the attorney, said he had no knowledge of any comments Melgen may have made mentioning his friendship to Menendez.
Melgen came to the attention of fraud investigators amid complaints from other local eye doctors alleging that his treatments were often unnecessary, a waste of money and sometimes harmful to patients’ eyesight, the two former federal officials and several doctors said.
At the same time, investigators considered him an “outlier” compared with his peers because of the volume of his billing and the rate at which he administered eye injections and performed procedures on government-insured patients, the former officials said. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is still ongoing.
Melgen “was somebody who consistently showed up on the radar and was being looked at quite a bit,” said a former senior health-care fraud investigator. “The sheer volume itself is going to keep him on the radar.’’
When federal investigators interviewed Melgen, he tried to exert pressure on them by mentioning the names of Menendez and other influential politicians, the former fraud investigator said. “We thought it was odd because Menendez was in New Jersey and this guy was in Florida,’’ the official said.
A second former federal official recounted that Menendez’s name came up repeatedly when Melgen was interviewed by investigators from the Justice Department and the inspector general’s office at the Department of Health and Human Services.
“He was using Menendez more as a character reference,” the official said. “He thought he was untouchable.”
The federal interest in Melgen stretches back 10 years, when investigators interviewed Philip Rosenfeld, a nationally known retina specialist, about the volume of treatments Melgen was performing, said several eye doctors in South Florida.
These doctors said Rosenfeld, who pioneered (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/31/health/31drug.html?_r=0)the use of Avastin injections for macular degeneration to stem eyesight loss, had long been troubled by Melgen’s methods.
FBI agents recently interviewed Rosenfeld again, this time two days before they raided Melgen’s clinic, the doctors said.
Reached at his home in Key Biscayne, Rosenfeld declined to comment.
Doctors in south Florida said that they have been fearful of criticizing Melgen publicly, and that his Washington connections may be protecting him.
In 2010, Melgen scolded eye surgeon Randy Katz for publicly criticizing the quality of his care. According to two fellow doctors, Melgen cited his Senate connections and told Katz that he could face a Medicare investigation.
Katz did not respond to requests for comment. Melgen’s attorney declined to discuss his client’s conversations with Katz or allegations that his client had threatened other doctors.
Soon after the encounter, according to a copy of a letter obtained by The Post, Katz wrote to Palm Beach doctors in praise of Melgen.
“It has come to my attention that certain statements I made have been misunderstood as criticisms of Dr. Melgen,” Katz wrote in the open letter. “To be clear, I know Dr. Salomon Melgen to be a capable and
highly-skilled vitreo-retinal surgeon. . . . If you hear any suggestion that I have said otherwise, you should disregard that suggestion as being false.”


Alice Crites contributed to this report.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sen-menendez-contacted-top-officials-in-friends-medicare-dispute/2013/02/06/e01bf928-6fd4-11e2-aa58-243de81040ba_print.html

[Winehole23]

more of the kid gloves treatment from the MSM: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-bob-menendez-senator-of-the-evening/2013/02/11/5771f03e-74a0-11e2-aa12-e6cf1d31106b_story.html

[ChumpDumper]

Whether she is credible or not. I would expect any politician to have to answer to an allegation like that.:lmao

[Vladimir Lenin]

Man no media outlet ask Obummer tough questions cause they be called a racist.

[ElNono]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/17/nyregion/partisan-push-led-to-troubling-revelations-about-senator-menendez.html

[Th'Pusher]

Escort says Menedez prostitution claims were made up: https://ssl.washingtonpost.com/actmgmt/registration/login/long?appnid=politics&destination=http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/escort-says-menendez-prostitution-claims-were-made-up/2013/03/04/31299fe2-8514-11e2-999e-5f8e0410cb9d_story.html

snc do you still condem ABC for not asking about the hooker allegations?

[ElNono]

non-registration link here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/escort-says-menendez-prostitution-claims-were-made-up/2013/03/04/31299fe2-8514-11e2-999e-5f8e0410cb9d_story.html

cue dailycaller > WaPo

[Winehole23]

VVV

[Winehole23]

http://dailycaller.com/2013/03/05/wapo-report-confuses-one-prostitute-for-another-in-bid-to-debunk-menendez-allegations/

[Th'Pusher]

http://dailycaller.com/2013/03/05/wapo-report-confuses-one-prostitute-for-another-in-bid-to-debunk-menendez-allegations/

SnC: so there IS a chance?

[spursncowboys]

SnC: so there IS a chance?
A chance of what?

[spursncowboys]

:lmao so now its newsworthy worth getting a quote from menendez?? That's too rich!

Oh yeah a random attorney wanted to smear the name of the popular and famous Menendez?? Yeah. I think the prostitute got a little more money for that comment.

The point wasn't about Menendez. It was about the journalist not bringing it up. For him not questioning his work with his Doctor friend. With him not reporting his travel.

[spursncowboys]

Escort says Menedez prostitution claims were made up: https://ssl.washingtonpost.com/actmgmt/registration/login/long?appnid=politics&destination=http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/escort-says-menendez-prostitution-claims-were-made-up/2013/03/04/31299fe2-8514-11e2-999e-5f8e0410cb9d_story.html

snc do you still condem ABC for not asking about the hooker allegations?
Do you think the journalist did his job?
Do you think Menendez wasnt unethical?

:lmao
So if a prostitute states a Senator paid her for sex, she has no credibilty
If same prostitute states she was paid off to state that claim, she's legit...

I think i got it

[Th'Pusher]

Do you think the journalist did his job?
Do you think Menendez wasnt unethical?

:lmao
So if a prostitute states a Senator paid her for sex, she has no credibilty
If same prostitute states she was paid off to state that claim, she's legit...

I think i got it
The point is that the hooker was not a credible news source and any journalist with his salt would not run with the story without a little more digging. But why should I expect someone who goes to The Blaze and The Daily Caller as his primary news sources to require any sort of journalistic integrity?

[ElNono]

An affidavit has legal implications for those that sign it if they're lying... a video of somebody saying something on the interwebs, not so much...

You would think the difference is obvious, but I guess not...

[spursncowboys]

The point is that the hooker was not a credible news source and any journalist with his salt would not run with the story without a little more digging. But why should I expect someone who goes to The Blaze and The Daily Caller as his primary news sources to require any sort of journalistic integrity?
Is that my primary news source? I didn't know that.

:lmao without a little more digging. You mean like questions? Cute hypothesis though. Thanks for the tip. I think I'll just expect more from "journalists" Have fun reading Cosmopolitan and doing your sudoku.

[spursncowboys]

An affidavit has legal implications for those that sign it if they're lying... a video of somebody saying something on the interwebs, not so much...

You would think the difference is obvious, but I guess not...


"While the Post said it had an affidavit from a woman in the Dominican Republic admitting she fabricated claims Menendez paid her for sex, that woman was not one of the two prostitutes TheDC interviewed for a Nov. 1 report."The Daily Caller noted that while the woman identified by the Post was said to be 23, both the women they interviewed said they were 24 at the time.
"And neither went by Nexis de los Santos Santana," the Caller wrote.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/05/conflicting-accounts-emerge-over-menendez-prostitution-allegations/#ixzz2MijRASZY

[spursncowboys]

De los Santos claims she was videotaped without her consent detailing false allegations. But the Miami Herald noted the women who appear in the Daily Caller videos have their faces blurred, and appear to be wearing an earpiece and responding to questions. That would appear to conflict with the claim she was "surreptitiously taped."

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/05/conflicting-accounts-emerge-over-menendez-prostitution-allegations/#ixzz2Mijdo1EN

[spursncowboys]

Her affidavit, sworn to in Dominican court, was released on Monday by attorney Vincio Castillo Seman, who is also involved in the Menendez case. Castillo, the son of a Dominican presidential adviser and the brother of a member of the country's Congress, has been accused of hosting outings on his yacht in which Menendez used the services of prostitutes.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/05/conflicting-accounts-emerge-over-menendez-prostitution-allegations/#ixzz2Mijdo1EN

:lmao yeah why ask any questions.

[Th'Pusher]

:lmao yeah why ask any questions. [/FONT][/COLOR]
Nobody is suggesting questions should not be asked, just that a journalist does not report a story as fact with nothing more than a hooker's allegation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journalism_ethics_and_standards

[spursncowboys]

Nobody is suggesting questions should not be asked, just that a journalist does not report a story as fact with nothing more than a hooker's allegation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journalism_ethics_and_standards

I don't know where you are getting that idea. asking questions being alleged on someone does not equate as stating a fact.

[Th'Pusher]

I don't know where you are getting that idea. asking questions being alleged on someone does not equate as stating a fact.
Ok. You go on defending and consuming your propaganda pushing news outlets that feed your already off the chart confirmation bias.

[spursncowboys]

Ok. You go on defending and consuming your propaganda pushing news outlets that feed your already off the chart confirmation bias.
why not discuss the topic. Why revert to attack? Little childish tbh. Am I under your intelligent threshold?

[Th'Pusher]

why not discuss the topic. Why revert to attack? Little childish tbh. Am I under your intelligent threshold?
What's to discuss? I have already mentioned upstream that there are legitimate well sourced ethics questions regarding Melendez and relationship with his donor. I linked the WaPo article delving into these issues in post 72 in this thread. I just don't believe the DC hooker allegations are well sourced and stand the test of good journalistic standards.

[spursncowboys]

What's to discuss?
Then what is your post for?

[Th'Pusher]

Then what is your post for?
This thread was originally questioning why ABC did not ask Manendez about the hooker investigation. I don't think there was sufficient evidence to ask about the allegation because the hooker story was not well sourced.

I don't know why you are still defending the DC.

FBI agents recently traveled to the Dominican Republic to investigate the prostitution claims, but said they found no evidence to support it.


Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/03/the-he-said-she-said-of-the-menendez-saga-88481_Page2.html#ixzz2Mj9BXUeM

Looks like ABC and every other legitimate news organization that did not run with the poorly sourced story was right in not doing so.

Again, feel free to continue to consume poorly sourced news in an effort to feed your confirmation bias.

[spursncowboys]

How am I defending the DC?

[ElNono]

whotts funny is the dailycaller still trying to push the story even after sworn affidavits entered the investigation :lol

and the guy that made the allegation still won't contact the FBI :lol

why ask any questions? it's the same as wondering why journalists didn't ask Barry if he was a kenyan muslim...

Menendez is a douche and probably politically dirty as hell, but there's much more credible ways to bring him down than some internet memes

[boutons_deux]

Police: Women paid to make sex claims against Sen. Menendez

Police in the Dominican Republic said Monday that three women who claimed they had sex with Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) were actually paid by a third party to make false claims, according to The Associated Press (http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/03/3_women_were_paid_to_say_they.html).

Two of the women were paid $425 each, while a third was paid $300, police reportedly said. Police spokesperson Maximo Baez added that the payments were traced back to an attorney, Melanio Figueroa.

The allegations initially appeared to align with earlier claims passed to the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (http://www.citizensforethics.org/legal-filings/entry/crew-release-documents-fbi-investigation-senator-robert-menendez-new-jersey) (CREW) by someone claiming to be named “Peter Williams.”

Williams reportedly said that Menendez visited a prostitute in the Dominican Republic, but a subsequent FBI investigation turned up no evidence (http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/fbi-probing-allegations-sen-menendez-patronized-prostitutes-in-dominican/2013/02/15/49b64e7c-77c5-11e2-8f84-3e4b513b1a13_story.html?hpid=z1).

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/03/18/police-women-paid-to-make-sex-claims-against-sen-menendez/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRawStory+%28The+Raw+Story% 29

Tricky Dick/Roger Ailes's legendary REPUG DIRTY TRICKS live on! :lol

[Winehole23]

Menendez is a douche and probably politically dirty as hell, but there's much more credible ways to bring him down than some internet memesDOJ to charge Menendez for corruption:



The Justice Department is preparing to bring criminal corruption charges against New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez, a Democrat, alleging he used his Senate office to push the business interests of a Democratic donor and friend in exchange for gifts.

People briefed on the case say Attorney General Eric Holder (http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/21/us/eric-holder-fast-facts/) has signed off on prosecutors' request to proceed with charges, CNN has learned exclusively. An announcement could come within weeks. Prosecutors are under pressure in part because of the statute of limitation on some of the allegations.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/06/politics/robert-menendez-criminal-corruption-charges-planned/index.html

[boutons_deux]

"to push the business interests of a ... donor ... in exchange for gifts."

That's a "crime" for Congress or any politician? :lol

that's the fundamental operating mode of politics.

[ElNono]

DOJ to charge Menendez for corruption:

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/06/politics/robert-menendez-criminal-corruption-charges-planned/index.html

there you go

[Winehole23]

"to push the business interests of a ... donor ... in exchange for gifts."

That's a "crime" for Congress or any politician? :lol

that's the fundamental operating mode of politics.


dumbass got caught.

[boutons_deux]

dumbass got caught.

somebody, probably in FatBoy's gang, went after him. FatBoy's a former US Attorney, knows that prosecutorial discretion is most often political.

[TeyshaBlue]

lol spin

[boutons_deux]

lol spin

TB :lol Wrong again. I'm not defending, spinning Menendez.

I'm saying ALL of them are corrupt, quid pro quo, pay-to-play criminals, selling their Congressional bills, amendments, votes to the highest bidders, who are not common voters.

[TeyshaBlue]

TB :lol Wrong again. I'm not defending, spinning Menendez.

I'm saying ALL of them are corrupt, quid pro quo, pay-to-play criminals, selling their Congressional bills, amendments, votes to the highest bidders, who are not common voters.

somebody, probably in FatBoy's gang, went after him. FatBoy's a former US Attorney, knows that prosecutorial discretion is most often political.:rolleyes

[Slutter McGee]

Has bouton figured out a way to blame Republicans for this?

Slutter McGee

[Winehole23]

he blames Chris Christie

[boutons_deux]

Has bouton figured out a way to blame Republicans for this?

Slutter McGee

FatBoy guv is a Repug, I bet NJ Repugs went after Menendez like the Repugs took down Spitzer for taking down Hank Greenberg.

btw, corrupt FatBoy gave Exxon $8B by settling for a $250M, which FatBoy put into the NJ general fund, NOT using it to clean up Exxons extremely toxic site.

Dems are suing about that Exxon giveaway.

[Winehole23]

right on cue

[spursncowboys]

bump

[ChumpDumper]

SnC, to be fair, you do seem really butthurt in this thread.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

he blames Chris Christie


FatBoy guv is a Repug, I bet NJ Repugs went after Menendez like the Repugs took down Spitzer for taking down Hank Greenberg.

btw, corrupt FatBoy gave Exxon $8B by settling for a $250M, which FatBoy put into the NJ general fund, NOT using it to clean up Exxons extremely toxic site.

Dems are suing about that Exxon giveaway.


right on cue

:lol

[ElNono]

good read, tbh

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/04/robert-menendez-corruption-new-jersey-116602.html

[Oh, Gee!!]

I wonder if the "gifts" were prostitutes. That would be funny.