Political Corruption Enters a New Golden Age
Federal prosecutors didn’t have a great day on Thursday. In Newark, New Jersey, a judge declared a mistrial in the case of Senator Bob Menendez, the Democrat who was accused of taking gifts from a donor in exchange for government favors. The jury was deadlocked, though one member said 10 of the 12 jurors were in favor of acquittal.
Meanwhile, a short train ride away in Manhattan, another federal judge declared another mistrial, this time in the case of Norman Seabrook, a former New York City correction officers’ union chief who was on trial for funneling members’ pension funds into a high-risk investment scheme in exchange for kickbacks. That jury also deadlocked.
Even if neither Menendez nor Seabrook broke the law, neither situation feels good. Menendez and Salomon Melgen were ; Melgen. The question was whether these were illegal official favors bought and paid for by Melgen’s gifts, or were simply favors.
