Menendez dumps a close adviser caught on tape seeking 'favors'

[brooklynite]

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez's closest political adviser was secretly recorded seven years ago boasting of political power and urging a Hudson County contractor to hire someone as a favor to Menendez, according to a transcript obtained by The Star-Ledger.

Menendez's campaign said last night he had severed his ties with the adviser, Donald Scarinci, after learning of the taped conversation. The two men were childhood friends and Scarinci, a prominent attorney with extensive contracts in state and local governments, has been a key fundraiser for the senator throughout his long political career.

Scarinci was recorded in 1999 by Oscar Sandoval, a Union City psychiatrist who had contracts with the county jail and hospital in Hudson County, according to two people familiar with the tapes who requested anonymity because the recordings are evidence in a pending lawsuit.

A transcript of the recorded telephone conversation was obtained by The Star-Ledger and verified by the two sources. In it, Scarinci urged Sandoval to hire another physician, Vincente Ruiz, telling him: "Menendez will consider that a favor." http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-9/1159421656259490.xml&coll=1

sigh!

As with George Allen in Virginia, Bob Menendez is, I'm afraid, becoming "the story" in this race, not his opponent and not the issues. This campaign needs to get its act together and come up with a different focus for the media and the electorate.

[bluestateguy]

1. Kean=Bush, in Jersey, election over. Thank you.

Next race.

[rinsd]

2. Well, Kean is taking great pains to distance himself from Bush

So ignore a the stain of corruption at your peril.

[brentspeak]

3. Menendez has done a great job voting in Congress, but his past

as a political "machine" boss was guaranteed to come back and haunt him for this election.