Posted on 02/01/2013 4:51:00 PM PST by smoothsailing
BY: Lachlan Markay
February 1, 2013 3:30 pm
A small group of New Jersey politicians are being floated as likely replacements for embattled Sen. Bob Menendez (D., N.J.), who is under investigation by the Senate Ethics Committee over his relationship with a donor facing allegations of political corruption and fraud.
New Jersey’s constitution gives governors the ability to appoint interim senators. After appointing an interim senator, the governor then has the choice of either calling a special election or waiting until the 2013 general election to fill the seat with a permanent replacement.
This means that Chris Christie, New Jersey’s tremendously popular Republican governor, may have a chance to turn red a Senate seat held by Democrats since 1982.
Experts on New Jersey politics are floating the names of three state Republicans as likely Christie appointees in the event of Menendez’s resignation: Senate Minority Leader Thomas Kean Jr., Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, and state Sen. Joseph Kyrillos Jr.
Kean, the son of former New Jersey governor Thomas Kean Sr., is the “clear frontrunner,” said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.
Kean proved his mettle by running “a pretty good campaign against Menendez” in 2006, Murray said. Kean lost that race by eight points, making it the smallest margin of victory for any Democratic Senate incumbent during that election cycle.
Christie “looks up immensely” to the senior Kean, Murray said, and the former governor may wield his continued influence in the state to push for his son’s appointment should Menendez step down.
Christie could also leverage the Senate appointment in a way that boosts his likely presidential aspirations.
A Guadagno appointment, Murray said, would “give more credence to [Christie’s] claims that he’s going to appeal to all different groups.” With Republicans hoping to do a better job courting female voters in 2016, Christie’s appeal with women would be a strong selling point should he decide to run.
A New Jersey Republican source told the Weekly Standard that a Kyrillos appointment is “likely” in the event of Menendez’s resignation. Murray noted he is a “very close friend of Gov. Christie.”
But Kyrillos’s poor showing in his 2012 Senate run against Menendez—he lost by nearly 19 points—worried New Jersey Republicans. Since any appointee will likely face an election in November 2013, Republicans want an electable candidate who can leverage incumbency to hold the seat.
As a result, Murray suggested, Christie is less likely to appoint Kyrillos than Guadagno or Kean.
Bob Ingle, a political columnist for Gannett New Jersey newspapers and the coauthor of Soprano State: New Jersey’s Culture of Corruption, also named Kean, Guadagno, and Kyrillos as the three most likely appointees if the opportunity arises.
But Ingle and Murray both said that, at this point, they don’t see Menendez resigning.
Menendez was forced to repay a donor nearly $60,000 for flights to the Dominican Republic on the donor’s private jet. The senator faces allegations he slept with underage Dominican prostitutes during those trips.
The FBI opened a file on the allegations in August, according to internal documents, and conducted a raid on the donor’s Florida office on Wednesday.
Menendez fled from reporters the following day rather than answer questions about the investigation. He has denied the prostitution allegations.
Update, 3:52 p.m.: This post has been updated to note that an election to choose Menendez’s potential replacement would take place in 2013, not 2014.
Goog GOD NO!
Good GOD NO!
Whore All DOOOO
What a POS.
Hey Jersey, get your RINO on!!! LOL!
May Menendez be run out office and prosecuted.
Jerry Rivers would be a joke, even as a Senators or Representatives intern.
Although Freepers had alerted to the Menendez shenanigans by the Drudge Report, most of the country were just hearing about it on the same day that Menendez was touring the state of NJ storm damage with Obama and Christie. The event was turned into a huge campaign trip with Christie mostly standing in the back, behind Menendez and Obama. At that time, the pervert illegal alien intern was yet to be revealed.
mr. menendez is going nowhere. He’ll whine and claim he was molested by a priest thus creating a sex problem, volunteer to get treatment and viola, “He” is now the victim and will get all kinds of sympathy, never lose a dime and stay in office. His buddies in the unions will see to that.
What suck is McConnello the Castrato probably doesn't have a game plan for a NJ and or MA win(s) with the two seats coming up that could give him some margins.
The GOP is so dead I don't think the Heart Paddles could bring it back at this point...
Oh wait......that didn't happen.
weeklystandard.com / By DANIEL HALPER / 1/31/13
IF Sen Menendez is found guilty of traveling to the Dominican Republic to engage in sexual intercourse with underage prostitutes, he could face up to 30 years prison. The appropriate law, which would seem to apply in this instance, is the Prosecutorial Remedies And Other Tools To End The Exploitation Of Children Today (or the Protect Act).
Menendez voted for the law when he was a member of the House of Representatives.
“TRAVEL WITH INTENT TO ENGAGE IN ILLICIT SEXUAL CONDUCT.
“A person who travels in interstate commerce or travels into the United States, or a United States citizen or an alien admitted for permanent residence in the United States who travels in foreign commerce, for the purpose of engaging in any illicit sexual conduct with another person shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both.
‘‘(c) ENGAGING IN ILLICIT SEXUAL CONDUCT IN FOREIGN PLACES.—Any United States citizen or alien admitted for permanent residence who travels in foreign commerce, and engages in any illicit sexual conduct with another person shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both.”
‘‘(d) ANCILLARY OFFENSES.—Whoever, for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain, arranges, induces, procures, or facilitates the travel of a person knowing that such a person is traveling in interstate commerce or foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in
illicit sexual conduct shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both.
‘‘(e) ATTEMPT AND CONSPIRACY.—Whoever attempts or conspires to violate subsection (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall be punishable in the same manner as a completed violation of that subsection. (rest at web site)
ROTFL! That pic is priceless.
Normally Rivers is bouncing off the walls with some phony story but his nose bounced off a fist that time.
Outstanding! 30 years seems appropriate for messing around with under age girls.
Kean, the son of former New Jersey governor Thomas Kean Sr., is the "clear frontrunner," said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute... proved his mettle by running "a pretty good campaign against Menendez" in 2006... lost that race by eight points... the smallest margin of victory for any Democratic Senate incumbent during that election cycle... A Guadagno appointment... hoping to do a better job courting female voters in 2016... Kyrillos's poor showing in his 2012 Senate run against Menendez -- he lost by nearly 19 points... [not] an electable candidate who can leverage incumbency to hold the seat... Bob Ingle, a political columnist for Gannett New Jersey... and Murray both said that, at this point, they don't see Menendez resigning.
Kyrillos more than doubled Menendez’ winning margin for hoim by being a PC ash hole who made it clear he “wasn’t a Tea Party candidate.” It was actually fun watching him lose. If he wasn’t a wuss and had TP support which they were ready to give him, he might have made a race out of it considerng that the sex scandal HAD surfaced BEFORE the election. PC moron Kyrillos had NO troops to spread the word about Menendez - ash hole!
Given New Jersey’s record on corrupt senators, the best possible replacement would have to be from Alabama. Just throw a dart at the Tuscaloosa phone book to find a better qualified candidate than anyone from the Democrat party in NJ, (including Jerry Rivers).
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