Bob Menendez

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Bob Menendez
United States Senator
from New Jersey
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 18, 2006
Serving with Frank Lautenberg
Preceded by Jon Corzine
Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus
In office
2003–2006
Leader Nancy Pelosi
Preceded by Martin Frost
Succeeded by Jim Clyburn
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Jersey's 13th district
In office
January 3, 1993 – January 18, 2006
Preceded by Frank Guarini
Succeeded by Albio Sires
Member of the New Jersey Senate
from the 33rd district
In office
January 13, 1992 – January 3, 1993
Preceded by Christopher Jackman
Succeeded by Bernard Kenny
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from the 33rd district
In office
January 1, 1988 – January 13, 1992
Preceded by Jose Arango
Succeeded by Louis Romano
Mayor of Union City
In office
1986–1992
Preceded by Arthur Wichert
Succeeded by Bruce Walter
Personal details
Born Robert Menendez
January 1, 1954 (1954-01-01) (age 58)
New York City, New York
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Jane Menendez (Divorced)
Children Alicia Menendez
Robert Menendez
Residence Hoboken, New Jersey
Alma mater Saint Peter's College (B.A.)
Rutgers School of Law in Newark (J.D.)
Occupation Lawyer
Religion Roman Catholic
Signature
Website Senator Bob Menendez

Robert "Bob" Menendez (born January 1, 1954) is the junior United States Senator from New Jersey and a member of the Democratic Party. In January 2006, he was appointed to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Jon Corzine, who resigned upon being elected Governor of New Jersey. Menendez was elected to his own full six-year term in the 2006 U.S. Senate election.

Prior to his appointment to the U.S. Senate, Menendez was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing New Jersey's 13th congressional district. He previously served as Mayor of Union City (1986–1992) and as a member of the New Jersey General Assembly and the New Jersey Senate.

Following the 2008 elections, Menendez was appointed to head the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.[1]

Contents

[edit] Early life, education, and law career

Bob Menendez was born on New Year's Day in New York City to Cuban immigrants[2] who left their homeland a few months earlier, in 1953, seeking economic and political freedom from the repressive government headed by Fulgencio Batista.[3] His father, Mario Menendez, was a mechanic, and his mother, Evangelina, a seamstress.[4] The family subsequently moved to neighboring New Jersey where, growing up in Union City, he graduated from Union Hill High School.

After a B.A. from Saint Peter's College in Jersey City, he earned his Juris Doctor degree from Rutgers School of Law in Newark. in 1979. He is a brother of Lambda Theta Phi fraternity.[5][6] He was admitted to the New Jersey Bar in 1980 and became a lawyer in private practice.

[edit] Early political career

In 1973, at age 19, while attending Saint Peter's College in Jersey City, he launched a successful petition drive against his mentor, then-Union City Mayor William Musto, to reform the local school board. He was elected to the Union City Board of Education in 1974. He would stay close to Musto throughout the 1970s, however, and supported Musto in his re-election to the New Jersey Senate in 1978. Menendez would later testify against Musto in a court case that resulted in a prison sentence for Musto. The trial was very controversial, and Musto declared his innocence for the rest of his life.

Menendez was elected mayor of Union City in 1986 after an unsuccessful run against the popular Musto in 1982. Menendez served as mayor until 1992. While mayor, he simultaneously served in the New Jersey Legislature, a common practice for New Jersey politicians. He was in the General Assembly from 1987 until 1991 and in the New Jersey Senate from 1991 to 1993, following the death of Christopher Jackman.[7]

[edit] United States House of Representatives

Menendez as a Congressman

In 1992, 14th District Congressman Frank Guarini retired after seven terms. Menendez won the Democratic nomination for the Jersey City-based district, which was renumbered the 13th after New Jersey lost a district in the 1990 Census, and was easily elected that November. The district was already heavily Democratic, but had been redrawn with a Hispanic majority after the 1990 census. He was reelected six times with no significant Republican opposition.

In 1996, Menendez was briefly a candidate in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat held by the retiring Bill Bradley, but he backed out and the seat was won by Democrat Robert Torricelli. In 2002 Menendez voted against the Iraq Resolution to authorize the invasion of Iraq.[8]

In 2003, Menendez was elected chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, ranking him third in the Democratic hierarchy in the house, behind House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland. He was elected to chair the Credentials Committee of the 2004 Democratic National Convention and was a speaker on the first day of the convention. During the 107th Congress, he was chair of the Democratic Task Force on Education and the Democratic Task Force on Homeland Security.

Although he had sometimes been portrayed as the political boss of Hudson County, he strongly dislikes this appellation, particularly because, according to an anonymous close source quoted in the December 11, 2005 Union City Reporter, "there is no boss of Hudson County".[9]

[edit] United States Senate

Congressman Robert Menendez spoke on the importance of small businesses in the U.S. economy in Texas.

In December 2005, Menendez was appointed by Jon Corzine to fill the remaining year in the Senate seat from which Corzine resigned upon being elected the previous month as Governor of New Jersey. While several other names had been mentioned, Menendez was the early favorite among pundits for Governor-elect Corzine's replacement to fill the vacancy that would be created when Corzine resigned from the Senate. Corzine's decision to appoint Menendez got the support of several Latino groups, including the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. Menendez was the sixth Latino to serve in the United States Senate.

[edit] Elections

2006
Main article: United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2006

In the midterm elections held November 7, 2006, near the end of his one-year appointment, Menendez successfully ran to retain his seat in the Senate. He defeated Republican Thomas Kean, Jr., current minority whip in the New Jersey Senate and son of former state governor Thomas Kean, with 53% of the vote to Kean's 45%.

Menendez was endorsed by several newspapers including The New York Times,[10] The Philadelphia Inquirer,[11] The Star-Ledger,[12] and The Record.[13]

On August 27, 2006, two Republican state lawmakers filed an ethics complaint against Menendez, alleging he broke conflict-of-interest rules when he rented property out to a nonprofit agency that receives federal funds. Menendez helped the organization win designation as a Federally Qualified Health Center in 1998. That designation allowed the agency to receive additional federal grants.[14] Menendez allies note that the organization in question, the North Hudson Community Action Corp., which provides social services and health care to the poor and was founded in 1960, had received federal funding for years before Menendez was in Congress, and receives its funding based on mathematical formulas.[15] Menendez maintains that he rented the property out below market-value because "he was supportive of its work".[16] The total rent collected over nine years was over $300,000.

In September, 2006, just a few weeks before the 2006 senate elections, the Republican US District Attorney began investigating the rental deal with NHCAC, subpoenaing records from them. Democrats criticized the investigation, particularly the timing of the investigation and news leaks as being politically motivated. To date, no charges have been brought and the accusations remain unsubstantiated, one of many in the so-called US Attorneys scandal.[17]

2012
Main article: United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2012

Menendez is running for re-election a full second term.

[edit] Tenure

On February 9, 2010, the Wall Street Journal obtained a copy of a letter [18] from Senator Menendez to the Federal Reserve pushing for approval of a deal for the sale of First BankAmericano of Elizabeth. [19] A media controversy arose due to BankAmericano’s political connections. Its board members included several major campaign contributors to Menendez — among them state Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union)[20], a powerful member of the New Jersey Legislature. First BankAmericano had been under financial pressure for more than a year because of mounting loan losses. A highly critical report by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. also found the institution had engaged in unsafe or unsound banking practices, including operating without adequate supervision by its board of directors, an excessive level of delinquent or bad loans, inadequate earnings and insufficient coverage of its assets. [21]

In 2009, Menendez succeeded Senator Chuck Schumer of New York as chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Menendez's tenure, which has followed two straight election cycles of dramatic Democratic gains, has been marked by more troubled Democratic outlook. Critics of Menendez have pointed out the surprising Democratic loss in the 2010 Massachusetts Senate special election that followed the death of Sen. Ted Kennedy; Menendez's lower-key, more cautious management style; and Democratic problems caused by retirements in Indiana and elsewhere. Others, such as Schumer, have defended Menendez's performance, citing the political climate.[22]

Menendez (second from right) marching in the North Hudson Cuban Day Parade with Union City Mayor Brian P. Stack (second from left), June 6, 2010.

In February 2006, Menendez cosponsored legislation with New York Senator Hillary Clinton to make it illegal for foreign governments to buy U.S. port operations. The legislation was a direct response to Dubai Ports World's efforts to purchase Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) of the United Kingdom, which operates six major U.S. ports. Menendez said, "Our ports are the front lines of the war on terrorism. They are both vulnerable targets for attack and venues for smuggling and human trafficking. We wouldn't turn the Border Patrol or the Customs Service over to a foreign government, and we can't afford to turn our ports over to one either."[23]

On September 28, 2006 Menendez voted for the Military Commissions Act.[24]

On June 12, 2007, Menendez endorsed Hillary Clinton's presidential bid and was given the position of National Campaign Co-Chair. Subsequently he made numerous media appearances voicing his support for her campaign.[25]

On April 25, 2008, a former undercover F.B.I. agent revealed in the book Ruse: Undercover with FBI Counterintelligence that Cuban diplomats approached Robert Eringer to investigate Menendez. It was suggested that the Cuban government was determined to generate scandalous information about the senator, along with Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Lincoln Diaz-Balart, because of their anti-Castro lobbying efforts.[26]

In October 2009, Menendez sent a strongly worded letter of protest to Cyprus President Dimitris Christofias, castigating him for his praise of Cuba's totalitarian system. Christofias, the leader of AKEL, Cyprus' Communist Party, since 1988 and president since 2008, had paid a state visit to Cuba in September 2009 for the opening of Cyprus' new embassy and, in his speech, made a number of anti-American embargo references, and spoke of the "common struggle of Cyprus and Cuba". In his letter to Christofias, Menendez said "you cannot claim human rights violations by Turkey in your country and then ignore such violations in Cuba. Second, you cannot call for property rights for Greek Cypriots and then deny them on Cuba. Finally, you cannot take issue with the militarization of northern Cyprus and then ignore the state security apparatus that oppresses the Cuban people."[27][28]

On December 18, 2011, Menendez came out in support of the Respect for Marriage Act. He voted for the Defense of Marriage Act as a congressman in 1996.[29]

[edit] Recall initiative

An effort to recall Senator Menendez was launched in early 2010 by a group of New Jersey citizens.[30] Although Article 1, Paragraph 2(b) of the New Jersey Constitution expressly authorizes such a recall,[31] state officials fought the effort in court.[32] On March 16, 2010, a State Appeals court ruled that the recall petition could go forward.[33] Menendez said he was surprised that a group claiming to be true to the Constitution is trying now, in his words, "to undermine it".[34] Menendez appealed the ruling.[35] Legal experts have debated the constitutionality of a state recall of a federal officeholder.[36][37] On November 18, 2010, the New Jersey Supreme Court found that the New Jersey provision violated the U.S. Constitution.[38]

[edit] Committee assignments

Menendez is on the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, Finance and Foreign Relations committees.

[edit] Caucus memberships

[edit] Personal life

In 1976, Menendez married Jane Jacobsen, a teacher for the Union City Board of Education. They divorced in 2005.[40] The couple has two children: Alicia Menendez, a graduate of Harvard University, and Robert, a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

[edit] Controversies

On January 5, 2012 Menendez blocked Judge Patty Shwartz, an Obama administration nominee to a federal judgeship, drawing speculation that the block was placed because of Shwartz's relationship with the head of the public corruption unit for New Jersey’s federal prosecutor who had investigated the senator during his 2006 election fight.[41] Menendez denied personal motivation for the block. He has long contended that the corruption investigation was politically motivated.[42][43] The investigation was closed in the fall of 2011, with no charges filed.[44]

In 2010, Wall Street Journal reported that Menendez had written to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke[45] asking him to approve an acquisition that would rescue from the prospect of receivership a New Jersey bank, First Bank Americano, operated by Menendez contributors.[46] It was discovered that "eight of 15 directors, including the bank’s chairman and vice-chairman, have been contributors to Menendez or his political action committee."[47] Former federal bank regulator, William Black, called the letter "grotesquely inappropriate" and said that "the letter crossed an unofficial line by asking regulators to approve an application instead of simply asking that it be given consideration."[46] An aide to the senator said that his decision to write the letter was not influenced by political contributions.

In 2005 a New York Times Op-Ed characterized Menendez, once "a corruption-fighting mayor of Union City, N.J.," as "a proponent of business as usual" and had "long been an entrenched de facto leader of the Hudson County Democratic machine." The Times further criticized Menendez about his relationship with a young former aide of his, Kay LiCausi, to whom he helped get "hundreds of thousands of dollars in lobbying contracts and political consulting work."[48]

[edit] Electoral history

[edit] House

New Jersey's 13th congressional district: 1992[49]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Bob Menendez 93,670 64%
Republican Fred J. Theemling, Jr. 44,529 31%
Stop Tax Increases Joseph D. Bonacci 2,363 2%
Libertarian Len Flynn 1,539 1%
Communist John E. Rummel 1,525 1%
Socialist Workers Jane Harris 1,406 1%
Majority 49,141 33%
New Jersey's 13th congressional district: 1994[49]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Bob Menendez 67,688 71% +7
Republican Fernando A. Alonso 24,071 25% -6
We the People Frank J. Rubino, Jr. 1,494 2% N/A
Politicians Are Crooks Herbert H. Shaw 1,319 1% N/A
Socialist Workers Steven Marshall 895 1% N/A
Majority 43,617 46% +13
New Jersey's 13th congressional district: 1996[49]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Bob Menendez 115,459 79% +8
Republican Carlos E. Munoz 24,427 17% -8
Independent Herbert H. Shaw 2,136 1% 0
Independent Mike Buoncristiano 2,094 1% N/A
Independent William P. Estrada 720 <1% N/A
Independent Rupert Ravens 637 <1% N/A
Majority 91,032 62% +16
New Jersey's 13th congressional district: 1998[49]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Bob Menendez 70,308 80% +1
Republican Theresa de Leon 14,615 17% 0
Independent Richard S. Hester, Sr. 1,276 1% N/A
Independent Richard G. Rivera 872 1% N/A
Independent Susan Anmuth 752 1% N/A
Majority 55,693 63% +1
New Jersey's 13th congressional district: 2000[49]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Bob Menendez 117,856 79% -1
Republican Theresa de Leon 27,849 19% +2
Independent Claudette C. Meliere 2,741 2% N/A
Independent Dick Hester 562 <1% N/A
Independent Herbert H. Shaw 357 <1% N/A
Majority 90,007 60% -3
New Jersey's 13th congressional district: 2002[49]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Bob Menendez 72,605 78% -1
Republican James Geron 16,852 18% -1
Green Pat Henry Faulkner 1,195 1% N/A
Anti-Corruption Doctor Esmat Zaklama 740 1% N/A
Pro Life Conservative Dick Hester 732 1% N/A
Politicians are Crooks Herbert H. Shaw 573 1% N/A
Majority 55,753 60% 0
New Jersey's 13th congressional district: 2004[49]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Bob Menendez 121,018 76% -2
Republican Richard W. Piatkowski 35,288 22% +4
Pro Life Conservative Dick Hester 1,282 1% N/A
Politicos son Corruptos Herbert H. Shaw 1,066 1% 0
Socialist Workers Angela L. Lariscy 887 1% 0
Majority 85,730 54% -6

Write-in and minor candidate notes: In 1992, Donald K. Stoveken as an America First Populist received 682 votes. In 2000, Alina Lydia Fonteboa received 233 votes and Kari Sachs received 168 votes. In 2002, a candidate listed only as Independent (The American Party) received 34 votes; also, Herbert Shaw's full party name was "Politicians are Crooks - Politicos son Corruptos" (shortened for display purposes above).

[edit] Senate

2006 United States Senate election, Senate Class 1, New Jersey[50]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Bob Menendez (inc.) 1,200,843 53.3 +3.1
Republican Thomas Kean, Jr. 997,775 44.3 -2.8
Libertarian Len Flynn 14,637 0.7 +0.4
Marijuana Edward Forchion 11,593 0.5 n/a
Independent J.M. Carter 7,918 0.4 +0.2
Independent N. Leonard Smith 6,243 0.3 n/a
Independent Daryl Brooks 5,138 0.2 n/a
Socialist Workers Angela Lariscy 3,433 0.2 +0.1
Socialist Gregory Pason 2,490 0.1 +0.0
Majority 203,068 9.0
Turnout 2,250,070
Democratic hold Swing 3.26

[edit] References

  1. ^ CNN.com: New Jersey senator to lead Democratic campaign effort
  2. ^ freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com
  3. ^ Filling in the gaps in Menendez's biography The Star-Ledger July 30, 2006
  4. ^ "Robert Menendez, a Politician Even at 20" The New York Times, December 10, 2005
  5. ^ Biography of Senator Bob Menendez, accessed January 8, 2007
  6. ^ "SPOTLIGHT ON: Hon. Esther Salas ’94 – First Latina on New Jersey District Court". Rutgers School of Law. accessed July 28, 2011.
  7. ^ Staff. "Menendez to Seek Congressional Seat", The New York Times, April 8, 1992. Accessed June 4, 2010.
  8. ^ Roll Call 455 Office of the Clerk
  9. ^ Menendez on the move: Corzine appoints replacement in Senate, Union City Reporter, December 11, 2005
  10. ^ “New Jersey’s Senate Race,” The New York Times, October 30, 2006
  11. ^ “Robert Menendez for U.S. Senate,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 15, 2006
  12. ^ “Robert Menendez for U.S. Senate,” The Star-Ledger October 29, 2006
  13. ^ “Bland or blemished – Editorial,” The Record, October 29, 2006
  14. ^ Feds probe Menendez rental deal: Senator took in at least $300,000 from nonprofit in Union City, The Star-Ledger, September 8, 2006
  15. ^ GOP calls Menendez rent profits unethical, The Record, August 26, 2006
  16. ^ Agency was paying rent to its champion: Menendez denies Kean's charge that role of landlord poses conflict, The Star-Ledger, August 25, 2006
  17. ^ Chen, David W. (September 16, 2006). "U.S. Attorney Emerges as a Legal, and Political, Force". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/16/nyregion/16christie.html. Retrieved March 27, 2010. 
  18. ^ The Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/menendez0208.pdf. 
  19. ^ U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez defends bailout request for struggling BankAmericano in Elizabeth, The Star-Ledger, February 9, 2010
  20. ^ Lesniak, other insiders got loans at failed bank
  21. ^ [1]
  22. ^ Bresnahan, John; Glenn Thrush (17 February 2010). "Menendez stock falls with Dem losses". Politico. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0210/33102.html. Retrieved 19 February 2010. 
  23. ^ Menendez, Clinton seek to stop UAE port deal, The Record, February 18, 2006.
  24. ^ U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 109th Congress – 2nd Session United States Senate
  25. ^ Hillary Clinton For President - Press Release.
  26. ^ FBI agent says Cuba sought dirt on Menendez, The Record, April 25, 2008
  27. ^ Evripidou, Stefanos. "Christofias pressed in US over Havana embassy plan", Cyprus Mail, September 23, 2008
  28. ^ Hazou, Elias. "US Senator calls Christofias' Cuba remarks 'disrespectful and insensitive'", Cyprus Mail, November 24, 2009
  29. ^ Menendez, Robert (December 18, 2011). "Discrimination against same-sex marriages cannot be tolerated in our society as a matter of law". The Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ).
  30. ^ Fuchs, Mary (2010-02-05) "Tea Party activists look to unseat U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez", Newark Star-Ledger
  31. ^ New Jersey State Constitution
  32. ^ Ackermann, Peggy (2010-03-02), "Tea Party group seeking to recall Sen. Robert Menendez appears before N.J. appeals court", Newark Star-Ledger
  33. ^ Ackermann, Peggy (2010-03-16), "Court rules Tea Party can proceed with effort to recall Sen. Robert Menendez", Newark Star-Ledger
  34. ^ "Tea Party Petition Aims to Oust NJ Senator Menendez, KYW, (2010-04-29)[dead link]
  35. ^ "US senator from NJ appeals recall ruling", KTRK-TV (Houston,TX), Associated Press (2010-04-06)
  36. ^ Volokh, Eugene (2010-03-16) "Why Recalls of U.S. Senators Are Unconstitutional", The Volokh Conspiracy
  37. ^ Armor, John (2010-04-01) "Is a State-Based Recall of a U.S. Senator Constitutional?", American Thinker
  38. ^ Isenstadt, Alex (2010-11-18), "Court kills Robert Menendez recall push", Politico
  39. ^ Armenian Genocide Marked by U.S. Legislators at Annual Capitol Hill Observance. The Armenian Weekly. April 17, 2011
  40. ^ Gettleman, Jeffrey. "Robert Menendez, a Politician Even at 20". The New York Times. December 10, 2005
  41. ^ Kate Zernike (2012-01-05). "In Act of Defiance, Democrat Stalls Obama Choice for Court". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/06/nyregion/senator-robert-menendez-stalls-obama-move-to-promote-judge-patty-shwartz.html?scp=2&sq=robert%20menendez&st=cse. 
  42. ^ Kate Zernike (2012-01-05). "Senator Says His Concerns With Nominee Aren’t Personal". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/07/nyregion/senator-robert-menendez-in-statement-airs-concerns-with-judge-patty-shwartz.html?scp=2&sq=robert%20menendez&st=cse. 
  43. ^ Mark Mueller (2011-10-23). "eds tell Sen. Menendez 2006 probe now closed, subpoena had come in heat of election". NJ.com. http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/10/feds_tell_menendez_2006_probe.html. 
  44. ^ Laura Pedrick (2012-01-09). "Robert Menendez". The New York Times. http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/m/robert_menendez/index.html. 
  45. ^ Menendez, Bob. "Letter to Bernanke". Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/menendez0208.pdf. Retrieved 14 February 2012. 
  46. ^ a b Paletta, Damian. "Senator Prodded Fed to Aid Ailing Bank From Home State". Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748703615904575053664017840360.html. Retrieved 14 February 2012. 
  47. ^ "Menendez Sought Bank Bailout For Campaign Contributors". NJ Today. CMD Media. Archived from the original on 2012-02-16. http://njtoday.net/2010/02/11/menendez-sought-bank-bailout-for-campaign-contributors/. Retrieved 15 February 2012. 
  48. ^ "New Jersey's New Senator". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/09/opinion/09fri3.html. Retrieved 14 February 2012. 
  49. ^ a b c d e f g "Election Statistics". Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/index.html. Retrieved 2007-08-08. 
  50. ^ Official List: Candidates for US Senate For November 2006 General Election, New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, Division of Elections, dated December 4, 2006. Accessed September 26, 2007.

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