DOJ: Justice Department Indicts Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ): Statement of Policy Director Meredith McGehee

The indictment of Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) by the Public Integrity Section of the Justice Department is an encouraging sign as the details of the case and the conduct of the Senator have raised troubling questions for far too long.  The Public Integrity Section has been in a defensive crouch since misconduct by its prosecutors led to the overturning of the 2008 conviction of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) for a series of well-documented misdeeds by the late Senator.  It is high time the Public Integrity Section step up and take a more active role in safeguarding our democracy and the public’s faith in its government officials.  To restore its tarnished image, the Public Integrity Section must send a clear message to the American people that no one is above the law no matter how high an office they hold.  The kind of cronyism reflected in the Menendez case -- you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours -- confirms what most Americans believe about Washington.  The question now is whether the prosecution can prove if Sen. Menendez has crossed the line into criminal activity.