Former senator Bob Menendez banned from holding public office in New Jersey

New Jersey Bans Former Senator Bob Menendez from Holding Public Office

A New Jersey Superior Court judge has permanently barred former US senator Bob Menendez from seeking or holding public office in the state, following his conviction on federal corruption charges. The ban will automatically disqualify Menendez from any "position of honor, trust, or profit" in state or local government.

Menendez's conviction came as a result of accepting bribes of gold and cash, acting as an agent of Egypt, and shielding New Jersey business owners who bribed him from investigations. Prosecutors alleged that he protected these individuals from prosecution in exchange for favors such as securing $300m in US military assistance to his home country.

The 11-year prison sentence imposed on Menendez has been completed, with the former senator serving his term since June. His wife, Nadine, was also convicted of selling their husband's influence for cash and gold bars, receiving a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence.

Menendez maintained his innocence throughout the process but expressed hope that US President Donald Trump would grant him a pardon, echoing Trump's criticisms of the court system in the US. However, this appeal has been deemed unsuccessful, and Menendez will now face contempt charges if he attempts to hold public office or employment.

The ban issued by Judge Robert Lougy aims to preserve public trust in government institutions and serves as a deterrent against corruption in politics. New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin emphasized the importance of holding elected officials accountable for their actions, stating that "corruption is not acceptable" and will carry consequences.

Menendez's conviction marked the end of an illustrious but tainted political career that spanned several decades, including his time as a US senator since 2006. Despite his efforts to remain relevant, Menendez's legacy has been forever tarnished by allegations of corruption and abuse of power.

aww poor bob menendez it's sad when someone with so much experience and influence is brought down by their own mistakes I can imagine how frustrating this must be for him, especially after serving 11 long years in prison he must be feeling really lost right now but on the other hand, i totally get why judge lougy made this decision corruption is a huge issue and we need to hold our public officials accountable it's not just about preserving trust, but also about setting a good example for others

I'm low-key surprised this is happening in New Jersey . It just goes to show that when you're in public office, there are no secrets or second chances . The whole thing stinks because it was all about Bob Menendez looking out for his own pockets and those of his friends from Egypt . It's like, if the system is this corrupt, then we need to shake things up big time .

It's also a bit worrying that Trump didn't grant him a pardon... I mean, don't get me wrong, Menendez did do some bad stuff , but sometimes I think pardons are just used to silence people who can be trouble-makers . The question is, what message does this send about accountability in politics? Shouldn't we be focusing on the issues that really matter, not just punishing people for their own mistakes?

I'm like totally fine with this decision ... nope, wait, I'm not . How can banning him from holding public office be fair? Menendez has already served his time and paid his debt to society. Four-and-a-half years is a long time, but I guess you could say it's like getting a 15th chance at redemption... or maybe not . What really grinds my gears is that the whole system can be so messed up . If we're going to throw someone out of office, at least have the decency to do it fairly and without all these unnecessary 'position of honor' and 'trust' this and 'profit' that... just let him serve his time and move on already .

this is so unfair like he gets 11 years in the slammer but still gets a slap on the wrist afterwards why cant we see more accountability from people in power? they just get to sit back relax and wait for their next chance at corruption

So like what even is the point of having a ban on some dude who already did 11 years in the slammer? I get it, no one wants corrupt politicians in office, but come on... can't they just leave him alone to live his life? Like Menendez was still paying his debt to society while he was serving time, now he's gotta deal with a permanent ban? It seems kinda harsh, you know?

man this is just another example of how politics can go from bad to worse lol . i mean bob menendez was already a shady character before all these corruption charges came out, but at least he got his 11 years in the joint and served his time. now he's just gonna be a cautionary tale for all the wannabe politicians trying to make it big . and to think he was hoping trump would pardon him? come on, dude, you must not have read the fine print of your own plea deal . anyway, i'm glad new jersey is taking a stand against corruption and showing everyone that public office is not just a stepping stone to get rich quick . kudos to judge lougy for making it official .

This is what happens when you get caught red-handed! Menendez's reputation is gone for good - not exactly a shocker . Time to retire the scandal & just be honest with the public. Integrity matters, folks .

It's crazy how one scandal can haunt someone for life . I mean, you're born with a silver spoon, serve in the senate for 11 years, and then BAM! You're barred from holding public office in your home state? It's like, what happened to accountability? Not that I'm condoning his actions or anything, but it's hard not to feel that justice was served (well, mostly) given the severity of the conviction. The fact that his wife got a slightly lighter sentence is just mind-boggling. Corruption is indeed a serious issue in politics and we need more checks and balances in place to prevent this kind of thing from happening again . Kudos to Judge Lougy for speaking truth to power!

just saw the stats on the number of politicians who've been banned from public office in NJ over the past decade... it's crazy 25% of them have had to resign or face similar bans! and that's not even counting the ones who didn't make it through without a scandal . the corruption in politics is real and we need more people like Judge Robert Lougy who are holding our leaders accountable 300m in military assistance to Egypt? that's wild and did you know that the number of prison sentences handed down to politicians for corruption has increased by 50% over the past 5 years? it's time for a change, folks!

So another politician gets "punished" for being corrupt ... like it's going to stop people from doing the same thing? I mean, who needs a ban when you can just get re-elected anyway? Anyway, it's about time someone stood up for the public and said no to corruption. Can't say it enough , accountability is key... even if it takes a little drama like this to make it happen

man I'm really disappointed in this news it's like the system is trying to keep people who are supposed to serve us from serving us because they messed up in the past you know? like, isn't that kind of harsh? a 11 year prison sentence wasn't enough apparently now he's got to live with this ban for the rest of his life which I guess is fair but it still feels kinda unfair to me

and what really gets my goat is that some people are gonna be all "oh great justice has been served" but let's not forget that we're talking about a person who was just trying to do their job and make ends meet like the rest of us sometimes he got caught up in stuff that wasn't his fault and now he's paying the price for it

anyway I guess this is just one more example of how hard it is to hold onto power and not get corrupted by it

The whole thing just feels like a mess, you know? Like how could someone so corrupt even make it this far in the first place? And now they're basically shooed out of politics for good because of some shady deals with Egypt ... It's not like Bob Menendez was really that popular or influential to begin with. I mean, his conviction came from accepting bribes and shielding people from investigations... it just goes against everything we value in a public servant.

I'm actually kinda surprised they didn't just give him a lighter sentence for this stuff . I guess New Jersey wanted to make an example out of him or something? And what's up with his wife Nadine getting off relatively light? It feels like there was some kind of sweetheart deal going on ...

just got word about bob menendez being banned from holding public office in nj it's crazy that he got caught up in all that corruption and now his name is basically synonymous with shady dealings i mean, you've gotta protect the public trust and make sure officials aren't getting paid off on the side. matt platkin is doing a good job of making sure accountability is taken seriously can't let people like menendez get away with abuse of power and expectation of favors for personal gain

OMG yaaas!!! Finally someone gets banned for being a total crook ! I mean, 11 years in prison was no joke, but still, you gotta get tough on these guys who think they can just take bribes and throw shade at the system . I'm all about accountability and transparency in politics , and this ban is like, totally a step in that direction . Can't say I feel bad for Menendez's wife either, she was pretty shady herself . The judge's decision was all about preserving public trust and sending a clear message: corruption will not be tolerated . New Jersey is setting an example here, and it's gonna inspire others to clean up their act

omg what a shame about bob menendez he thought he could just do whatever and get away with it lol guess not so yeah NJ is making sure their public offices are squeaky clean no one wants to be associated with a convicted felon, let alone someone who sold out for cash & gold good on them for holding him accountable

Ugh, can't believe this . Another politician getting their turn in the spotlight for corruption, and now he can't even hold a public office in NJ . I mean, what's the point of having all these laws if someone's just gonna break them and get away with it? It's like they're doing some sort of reverse psychology or something . Anyway, at least the judge is trying to keep things honest (for once), but still... corruption will always be a problem . And what's up with these pardons that politicians are always asking for? Just another way for them to wriggle out of accountability .

I gotta say, this is super disappointing for those who knew him back in the day. I mean, Bob Menendez was a big name in politics, but it sounds like his time in office was all about lining his pockets . A permanent ban from public office? That's not too harsh if you ask me, though - corruption has no place in our government! It's actually kinda inspiring to see New Jersey taking steps to restore trust and make sure elected officials are held accountable for their actions . And honestly, 11 years is a long time to be serving his sentence, so I'm glad it's finally over . But now he's gotta face contempt charges if he tries to get back into politics... not a great look for him .

I mean, who needs politicians with skeletons in their closet? Like, Bob Menendez was already rocking the whole ' politician with questionable morals' look before he even became a senator lol . Now, he's just going to have to find another hobby... maybe collecting all that gold he accepted as bribes? Goldie locks and all that . Seriously though, it's good to see some accountability in the political world – corruption has no place in public office! And I've gotta feel bad for his wife too, Nadine , but you can't just let people get away with selling their influence for gold bars ... that's just basic human decency . Oh and btw, if anyone needs a new career path, Bob can try being a professional 'I'm not corrupt' spokesperson

I'm like totally divided on this one ... I mean, on the one hand, it's super reasonable that Bob Menendez is banned from holding public office in New Jersey – I guess he did get caught up in some shady stuff and shouldn't be trusted with important positions . But at the same time, I feel bad for the guy since he served 11 years of his sentence already ... like, doesn't that count for something? And what about the precedent this sets – is it fair to basically ruin someone's life just because they made a few mistakes in their past? I know corruption isn't cool and all that, but still...