The Weekly Fix: For Senate Democrats, Bribery Is Only Wrong If You're Caught

The fix is in. Fresh off dodging federal corruption charges, Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) will resume his position as ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Sen. Menendez was charged with accepting bribes from a wealthy Florida eye doctor, including $750,000 in political contributions, expensive gifts, and luxury travel. In exchange for the payoffs, Menendez provided political favors and obtained visas for the doctor’s foreign girlfriends. The case ended in a mistrial after a deadlocked jury failed to reach a verdict.

Sen. Menendez still faces a Senate Ethics Committee investigation, but that doesn’t seem to bother congressional Democrats in the slightest.

In reappointing Menendez to his powerful committee position, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is sending a clear message to his colleagues: ignore the rules, accept the bribes, just don’t leave a paper trail and you’re all good in my book.

Sen. Menendez celebrated in a statement, “At a time of great uncertainty and global insecurity… I plan to serve as a vigilant watchdog of our nation’s diplomatic and security architecture, ensuring that Secretary Tillerson respects the role of Congress in overseeing U.S. foreign policy.”

The idea of Sen. Menendez acting as a vigilant watchdog in any capacity is laughable, considering he is the poster boy for federal corruption.

Clearly, our judicial system and our congressional leadership are not going to keep politicians honest in Washington. If citizens want to hold their representatives accountable, they’re going to have to make their voices heard at the ballot box.

Fifty-one percent of New Jerseyans think Sen. Menendez should not serve another term in 2018. Forty-nine percent believe he should resign. The question remains: will New Jersey taxpayers translate this frustration into action?

It’s time to take a stand. The American people aren’t being heard by their representatives because the game is rigged. Government isn’t broken. It’s “fixed.”