Below is my column on the Menendez indictment and the curious “Mattress Defense” put forward by the senator. For most people, it seems like a defense that is unlikely to win over a jury, but that may not be the purpose. Menendez may be trying to replicate his “win” six years ago by securing not an acquittal but a hung jury.
Here is the column:
In his defense of bribery allegations, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) argues he’s just your tio loco, who doesn’t trust banks and prefers a Serta Perfect to Morgan Stanley to hold his money.
Call it the “mattress defense.”
Wads of cash and gold bars were found in the Menendez home.
But the senator insisted that he was just being an “old-fashioned” Cuban who feared that the government could confiscate his property at any moment.
It’s a curious defense.
He is claiming that he has been squirreling away money for years as a hedge against an authoritarian crackdown — of which his Democratic Party is in control, and he is one of its most senior senators.
So he’s worried President Biden is going to grab his gold bars?
It is hardly a roaring endorsement of our system.
Menendez declared: “For 30 years, I have withdrawn thousands of dollars in cash from my personal savings account, which I have kept for emergencies, and because of the history of my family facing confiscation in Cuba. Now this may seem old-fashioned, but these were monies drawn from my personal savings account.”
Menendez was born in the United States to Cuban immigrants who fled the island in 1953.
What is striking is that Menendez locked in this defense within a week of the indictment.
There is no walking back, since this press conference can be admitted as evidence at trial.
It is an explanation that is highly unlikely to convince a jury as a whole.
There is evidence, from fingerprints to DNA, connecting the senator and his wife, Nadine, to money handed over by co-conspirators.
There are also damning emails and messages.
In one such message in March 2020, Nadine allegedly told an Egyptian official, “Anytime you need anything you have my number and we will make everything happen.”
That is what is so telling about Menendez’s press conference.
It is a defense that seems crafted not for acquittal but a hung jury.
Six years ago, he was saved by a hung jury in a prior bribery trial.
This could be a pitch for the same result.
He just needs to connect with one juror to survive to grift another day.
It may be working. In the chatter that followed in New Jersey, some quickly affirmed that this was a “Cuban thing.”
One voter in Union City told CBS News, “The part about the money I do understand because as a Cuban we are used to putting … we don’t trust the government. We came from a very dark place in Cuba under a terrible regime.”
Of course, no one knows the “dark places” as much as Bob Menendez.
Meanwhile, the suggestion of a resignation is unlikely to appeal to Menendez.
Why give up the leverage of a seat in a closely divided Senate?
With various Democrats calling for his resignation, Menendez is hardly being subtle about the threat he could pose.
He could run as a third-party candidate and potentially lose a seat that the Democrats have long treated as a guaranteed win.
In the meantime, he continues to draw a large salary and can use Senate business to argue for delays and accommodations in the court proceedings.
In his press conference, Menendez promised to stay his course “despite the naysayers and everyone who has underestimated me.”
It is certainly never good to underestimate Bob Menendez when it comes to the “dark places” of American politics.
“This is an embarrassment to the time and people of this country”—-AOC
Who knew “time” could be embarrassed.
AOC is the embarrassment.
He just needs to connect with one juror to survive to grift another day.
Doesn’t the govt have to prove it?? Like with expenses etc al. He’s been making good money. It’s completely possible it IS his savings. The know it all say to go to gold….been saying it for years…when were the gold bars melted? And what was the price of gold then? Is it like the men selling off before covid on insider info or not? As far as cash …lots ppl do that bc the banks are 9 tenths short on it. Only a stupid jury would see otherwise…a good jury would make the govt prove every penny. Bc they use cash everyday that has tons of fingerprints on it. There is also Egyptian fingerprints behind 911….but the fbi doesn’t care. Rpot….they chose to ignore the sow commanders background. The smoke and mirrors….are breakable if anyone cares to delve into it.
There are 3 pages in the book of heros on the desk. The binary choice is not mine to make. I’m just the messenger. But the choice is liberty vs enslavement…..once ppl wake up to the facts that its not just hisense Chinese tvs…spying on every one of us…and it’s not just…wifi and internet….but realiz3 it’s their own power company via hunt technology…we see we are in a box. M Cain b4 us saw wuch box. Wake up. We are pows. All 6 billion of us – 2 billion Are dark evil – we need go inner it’s our only hope. Be human beings. Human…souls
Hasn’t affected my golf game kne bit.
Leftists make more excuses than there are atoms in the universe.
Not one of them will address the slaughter of a million Rwandans on Clinton’s watch. NOT ONE!
You’ve bought into his misdirection? What Menendez did with his statement is called “reframing” in psyOps-speak.
He’s being indicted for bribery. But, he reframes it to make you focus instead on the cash and gold bars. Is it illegal to keep a large amount of cash and gold in your house? He wants you to think that’s the main charge being leveled against him, not the bribery (which he doesn’t offer any defense for). Then, that cues up his plaintiff “I’m just an old fashioned Cuban” riff — and still more lame (“maybe they’re picking on a Hispanic”).
The import of the money and gold is that the FBI tied it through fingerprints to the Egyptian party who paid it off — to cement the charge of bribery. That makes his claims about it being his life savings a brazen falsehood — primed for the sympathetic and gullible. It only works in the court of public opinion because you can wage public frauds consequence-free in that venue. In court, the liar’s defense falls apart.
Meanwhile law and order has broken down in Philly as the latest city to experience this spirit of lawlessness abroad in the land.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/philadelphia-officials-respond-judges-decision-prompts-mass-looting-looking-destroy-city
Wait a dang minute…did you get this topic approved by Ralph?
I approved and that is all that matters. I run this place, as if you did not know
Who runs this place….that’s Part of the problem. But they’ll soon. See the north face and back off…knowing they are no match. Bps problem us well he’s so obvios…thinking he can just use “mental health” if anyone catches on..ha he just bought 40 pounds of 9 lives…and a small bag of dog food. The kgb problem is their mere 3 filters. As if…the French ain’t on to it..oh what’s his plan next week…yellow? Good luck. He’s east Germany type not me. Any time any place. Cheddarcheddar cheddar. Cheeses on him…who does that….oh with Britt and stone? And thinks they prevail against the coif? APPparently. BUT ,they are no match.
Keep trashing Turley’s website with your trash, garbage boy. If Turley wants to be King of a trash site, it’s no skin off of my nose how many pseudonyms you use to trash Turleyville.
Law abs order? Philly? U R kidding. It’s the Tet Offensive and we are in a full blown retreat.
They used to call this War and chaos and barbarism and the end of civilization. Today, we call it a shame and do nothing. Terrorists have conquered the cities.
Turley, you comment section is out of control — infested with a bulk quantity “Anonymous” comments that may or maynot be coming from the same one or two people, some of whom might also be other posters that also post comments under a different pseudonym.
At what point does a comment section become a JOKE when the bulk of comments are coming from the same person using different names?
Interesting, because I was just thinking that Estovir and Ralph are the same person.
They are both very intelligent but Estovir is my mancrush. I dream about him nightly
❤️
+1000000
Think about it. Have you ever seen the two of them in the same room?
And this is the guy who thought it was cute that people couldnt tell which anonymous he was. What a creep.
“Estovir is Ralph, Tom, Thinkthrough, James, Upstate Farmer,”
Of course, and the spit flying tirade that Ralph hurled at me a week ago was just a smokescreen, and i am really just his sockpuppet. LMAO
Just say sh!t to hear yourself talk.
Idiot
I can vouch for Mr. de Minimis being himself only.
Team Biden’s political warfare trifecta
This is Frank Gaffney with the Secure Freedom Minute.
Whatever one makes of the evidence prosecutors have presented in their indictment of New Jersey Democratic Senator Robert Menendez, simply bringing the case has been a trifecta windfall for Team Biden.
First, the administration has already neutralized the most powerful opponent of its appeasement of Iran.
Second, the Senator’s prosecution on charges he received large amounts of money from a foreign government makes it appear that a Justice Department and FBI that have worked overtime to ignore and conceal the same crimes apparently long perpetrated by the Bidens are actually doing their jobs.
Third, implicating the Egyptian government in Menendez’s alleged corruption further strains relations with a longtime regional ally – a key goal of the Muslim Brotherhood that has penetrated and deeply influences Biden’s regime.
More than 1,600 scientists and other scholars sign ‘No Climate Emergency’ declaration
Anonymous, see if you can post an article from a science journal confirming this. Because the only articles I can find are obscure, no-name sites.
Some idiot couldn’t find the story, More than 1,600 scientists and other scholars sign ‘No Climate Emergency’ declaration.
I wrote a reply but he is not a legitimate person so the reply was deleted. He must be the one who writes all the dumb stuff that isn’t true. Is that the guy known as bug face? Lawn guy?
He’s a creep wasting everyone’s time. Why does he enter my email?
Yep, thats him.
How many of them have expertise in climate science?
“expertise in climate science”
LMAO
Show of hands from anyone here who EVER met a kid who wanted to grow up to be a “climate
scientistactivist”…In college, my Astrophysics teacher was just such a young kid with PhD. He now is an expert on planet atmosphere dynamics, which is a meteorologist spanning the very distant past and future. Suffice it to say Toby is very much in demand these days. I like a meteorologist who tunes out all the political noise, and just tries to understand the physics/chemistry and timeframes of change.
Dear Senator, I will make a deal with you. I will tell you how to hang the jury if you will fix a serious problem and violation of the 4th Amendment of the Constitution by staying in office. You might even redeem yourself if you do your part of the deal. What say Senator? You commit to stop the government from stealing innocent peoples money and property in highway stops and home invasions when they are never charged or convicted of a crime. I am sure half of Americans don’t even know this is happening until their kid is taking a thousand dollars to buy an old car and gets pulled over for no reason and they take his money even if they find nothing to charge him with.The government allows police agency’s to violate the fourth amendment all the time stealing peoples property when they have never committed a crime or even been charged. That needs to stop. You even were raided and they took everything you had without proving you have committed a crime. I know you are a crook, But theft by the government is worse than theft by a crook. You get off they owe you your stuff back without having to be rich enough to fight them in court. It is a travesty of InJustice. In today’s USA, Justice is only for the rich and the average person gets screwed. Look at J6! You make the playing field even, Senator, and the jury of your peers will let you off. Now get on the stick and get the legislation proposed and get support for it, NOW, Pronto and the people will support you.
If he says he’s been withdrawing cash from his bank account for 30 years, then the serial numbers on the bills should reflect that. The serial numbers should corollate to withdrawals spanning back 30 years.
he’s been in this country since 1953??? and he’s still worried about the government confiscating his money? Why is he then a Democrat?
Judge Chutkan has denied Trump’s motion for recusal.
Ruling: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67656604/61/united-states-v-trump/
YAWN
In Other News: “Gold Bars Seized from Home of Senator Menendez Traced to Super-Villain Auric Goldfinger“
That Case We Can’t Acknowledge Here
“In defendants’ world,” Justice Engoron wrote, “rent-regulated apartments are the same as unregulated apartments; restricted land is worth the same as unrestricted land; restrictions can evaporate into thin air. That is a fantasy world,” the judge went on, “not the real world.”
From Court Ruling by:
New York State judge Justice Arthur F. Engoron regarding fraudulent business practices by Donald Trump in the civil case brought by New York’s Attorney General.
…………………………………………………
It would be interesting to get Professor Turley’s take on this ruling. But the Menendez case is more appealing to Turley’s core followers.
However one could take Judge Engoron’s ruling and substitute false election claims for “apartments” and “land”.
YAWN
Yeah, Sandman, it’s boring to think this man with a cult following is really a FRAUD.
+100
Mitch McConnell rips House Republicans today after House Freedom Caucus members rejected the bi-partisan compromise in the Senate. McConnell noted that a shutdown will leave Border Patrol agents unpaid, among other things.
The best thing that could happen to the Senate is if Mitch McConnell doesn’t come out of his next brain freeze.
If its so bipartisan, why don’t the Dems in the house sign on and keep those border agents paid?
The Dems are a minority in the House, and they can’t vote on it because McCarthy won’t let it go to a vote in the House. You do know that the Speaker of the House has control of that, right?
“You do know that the Speaker of the House has control of that, right?”
Oh, I see. Thank you so much for the 3rd grade civics lesson.
“McCarthy won’t let it go to a vote in the House.”
Really??? And why would that be, Mr Schoolhouse Rock?
Ah yes, you asked a question you knew the answer to because you’re a troll.
“you asked a question you knew the answer to..”
And demostrated your stupidity again. Thanks for playing.
Maybe you should have left the rhetorical first question alone, because we all knew the answer to that one too. Party before country. Again, thanks for playing. Better luck next time, anonymous troll.
Mitch McConnell will be in the same assited living facility as the big guy.
No, the big guy’s will have bars.
What’s the point of paying them if they are not allowed to do their job?
Now if Bob can only slip this dishonesty past the Judge of the whole earth at the final judgment!
Now if Bob can just slip this dishonesty by the Judge of the whole earth at the final judgment!
He’s a Dim. That says it all.
“He just needs to connect with one juror to survive to grift another day.”
And the dumb progressives voters in NJ.
I enjoy you columns, they are thoughtful and insightful. They are, however, hastily written. In today’s column every sentence begins a new paragraph. Several others have obvious typos. Be more careful in picking your editors.