Politics

Democratic PAC To Spend Over $3 Million To Try And Help Menendez In Last-Minute Effort

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Henry Rodgers Chief National Correspondent
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A Democratic PAC plans to spend over $3 million in a last-minute effort to help New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez in a tight race in the deep blue state just weeks before the Nov. 6 midterm elections.

The news comes as Menendez and his Republican opponent Bob Hugin’s race is tighter than expected, as Menendez was ahead in the polls by just over seven points as of Thursday, according to Real Clear Politics. The Senate Majority PAC is set to spend $3.05 million on a TV advertisement in support of Menendez that will air on New York and Philadelphia channels.

The Senate Majority PAC spent another $3 million dollars on a TV advertisement on Oct. 16 that attacked Hugin for allegedly spending his own money on his campaign and mentioned the amount of money he earned while working for a pharmaceutical company.

Hugin has labeled Menendez as a “hypocrite” in an ad for believing Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s sexual assault accuser even though Menendez faced allegations of sexual relations with minors.

Nick Iacovella, the press secretary for Hugin, said in a statement to The Daily Caller News Foundation:

Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi desperately spending another $3 million to try and bail out corrupt, career politician Bob Menendez confirms they are absolutely petrified that New Jersey voters know Menendez doesn’t deserve to be reelected. That’s why they’re making a last ditch effort to try and save Menendez’s disgraceful political career. After Obama’s Justice Department indicted him for bribery and corruption, Democrats and Republicans on the bipartisan Senate Ethics Committee publicly vilified him for violating federal law and abusing the power of his office. We’re confident that voters know Marine veteran and job creator Bob Hugin is the clear choice to represent New Jersey in the U.S. Senate.

(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Menendez was one of the first senators to publicly show support for Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who accused Kavanaugh of high school-era sexual assault. After an FBI investigation could not find corroborating evidence of the claims, Menendez said “if that’s an investigation, it’s a bullshit investigation.”

Years prior, Department of Justice investigators claimed there was “corroborating evidence” that Menendez and a South Florida eye doctor, Salomon Melgen, used underage prostitutes in the Dominican Republic. An FBI investigation did not find corroborating evidence on the specific claim.

In an ad released Oct. 15, Hugin called out Menendez for his hypocrisy in relation to the two issues, asking Menendez about his own previous allegations of engaging in sex with minors. (RELATED: Hugin Calls Out Menendez As ‘Hypocrite’ For Believing Ford But Not His Own Underage Accusers)

Menendez also had a corruption case, involving conspiracy and bribery charges, which went into mistrial for a second time in November 2017 after the jury was deadlocked on the 18 counts. He was not convicted.

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