Torch Song Duet

So, let’s see...

Congressman Menendez owns a cozy little place in Hudson County. He secures a tenant, an entity called The North Hudson Community Action Corp. According to the group’s website, it employs 533 people and enjoys a budget of $37 million. Much of that money comes in the form of federal funds, which Congressman Menendez happily helps secure. One site reports that the Pooh Bahs who run this organization haul down $185,000 per annum. (Anything wrong with doing fabulously well while doing good?) Grateful for the Congressman’s assistance, the entity not only pays him rent, but the folks who run the entity pump tens of thousands of dollars into his various campaigns.

Seeing the handwriting on the wall, and figuring that the best defense is a good offense, the Menendez campaign preemptively filed a patently frivolous ethics complaint against Senator Kean, a man so clean he squeaks when he walks.

It’s entirely possible that the Menendez scheme might pass legal muster. Just as Sharpe James probably did nothing illegal when he took numerous trips on the taxpayers’ credit card, to places like Brazil, it may be that Menendez securing the money for the entity, which it used to pay him rent and fund his campaigns violates no law.

But it stinks.

Anytime a politician prospers while in office – especially from people in positions to benefit from his influence or largesse – alarm bells sound. Mayors shouldn’t be able to afford yachts and Rolls Royces. The law firm of a State Senator should not receive contracts from entities for which the Senator secured funding. And when a Congressman enjoys a business relationship with a group, it’s simply unconscionable for that Member to secure taxpayer funding for the group.

Consider the way the Dems treat Haliburton. Whenever it secures a contract for anything, the Dems scream that Dick Cheney’s influence must be behind it, despite the fact that he receives no benefit whatsoever from Halliburton anymore. If Kean, in the State Senate, voted to benefit a company in which he held stock, Menendez would crucify him – and justifiably so.

The Congressman secures federal funds, a portion of which flows back into his pocket. (It will be interesting to see, as this story develops – as it most certainly will – whether the rent paid was comparable to other, similar local sites) The very highly paid folks who run this assertedly charitable entity funnel tens of thousands back into the Menendez campaigns. If all this is true – given the mutual-back-scratching-with-taxpayer-dollars nature of urban politics in general and Democrats in Hudson County in particular, it has the ring of truth to it – it constitutes one of those rare ethical scandals which might actually have legs.

But I seem to recall being down this road before: ethically challenged Dem secures his Party’s nomination for the Senate; his grievous ethical lapses start catching up with him; the Party Pooh Bahs pull the plug, with the assistance of an illiterate and innumerate Supreme Court.

Keep your eyes on the polls. If Menendez falters, figure Dick Codey in a 60 day campaign?