DES MOINES — Sen. Ted Cruz suggested Saturday that the Department of Justice is preparing to bring corruption charges against Sen. Robert Menendez as “political retribution” for breaking with the president on Iran sanctions.
The Department of Justice will charge Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, for having pushed for policies that would benefit a major donor, CNN reported Friday. Menendez responded that he has “always conducted myself appropriately and in accordance with the law,” according to the CNN report.
Cruz implied Saturday that the charges are being brought now because Menendez has recently been an outspoken critic of the president’s negotiations with Iran, instead calling for sanctions.
“The coincidence is troubling,” the Texas Republican said, “that that very week is when the Justice Department announces they’re moving forward with criminal prosecutions. It raises a suggestion to other Democrats that if you dare part from the Obama White House, a criminal prosecution can be used potentially for political retribution.”
“That’s a serious, concerning contrast with the crickets you get from the Department of Justice with Hillary Clinton, who admitted conduct that by all appearances is in direct contrast with federal law,” Cruz added, invoking the recent controversy over the former secretary of state’s use of private email for official business.
At an AIPAC conference in Washington last week, Menendez was unequivocal in his belief that the president’s negotiations with Iran will yield a “bad deal.”
“It is not a good deal if it leaves Iran as a threshold nuclear state or if Iran decides to kick out inspectors,” Menendez said Monday night. “It’s not a good deal if Iran proceeds on a covert path and we have no more than a year to respond. It’s not enough time for us to do anything other than exercise a military option.”
