Can Bob Menendez get a pardon from Donald Trump?
It sounds bizarre – even crazy. But we are in crazy times when invaders of the Capitol are simply excused.
We should know by now that there is nothing politically normal about Trump. That was true in his first term and it’s more true today.
He has remade the Republican Party to his liking, but by no means is he a philosophical Republican.
Traditional Republicans support free trade, not tariffs. And they support democracy overseas, not dictators. And they support law and order, not chaos.
So one has to get by the Democratic-Republican rubric in looking at this.
Menendez supporters, whoever they are, know that.
That’s why there were stories over the last few days suggesting allies of the former senator had reached out to Trump.
One from NBC suggests that Menendez, whose sentencing is set for Jan. 29, thinks he may stand a better chance with Trump than he did with Joe Biden.
There was this intriguing paragraph in one of the stories.
“Menendez, 71, also believes a rejection from Biden might make Trump more inclined to grant clemency, allies said.”
That is how Trump operates – doing something merely because his predecessor took the opposite view.
But that’s only part of it.
Throughout his career – even his pre-political career – Trump has had a warped view of crime and impropriety that seems to boil down to get away with what you can.
This is reinforced big time when it comes to white collar or political crime.
Given the fact Trump never thinks he does anything wrong, it is logical for him to assume other political “criminals” are similarly innocent.
In addition to Menendez, there are perhaps stronger rumors that Trump will pardon New York City Mayor Erik Adams, who is under indictment on federal bribery charges.
A story last fall quoted then-candidate Trump as saying the mayor has been “treated very unfairly.”
If Trump thinks federal authorities in New York are treating Adams poorly, it really is not a stretch for him to think the same of Menendez.
Yes, any pardon or clemency for Menendez is a long shot. His crimes are very serious.
But do not think it can’t happen.
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As the end of his presidency approaches, speculation has been swirling about whether President Trump will issue a pardon for Senator Bob Menendez. The New Jersey Democrat was convicted in 2017 on corruption charges, but the case was later dismissed after a mistrial was declared.
Insider NJ recently reported that sources close to the Trump administration have indicated that the possibility of a pardon for Menendez is being explored. This news has sparked debate among political analysts and legal experts about the potential implications of such a move.
Some argue that a pardon for Menendez would be a controversial decision, given the nature of the charges against him. Corruption is a serious offense, and pardoning someone convicted of such crimes could send the wrong message about accountability in government.
On the other hand, supporters of Menendez have pointed out that he has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration and has worked tirelessly on behalf of his constituents in New Jersey. They argue that a pardon would be a way to right what they see as a miscarriage of justice in his case.
It is important to note that President Trump has not yet made any public statements about pardoning Menendez, and it remains to be seen whether he will ultimately decide to do so. However, the fact that the possibility is being explored raises important questions about the role of presidential pardons and the impact they can have on our political system.
In the meantime, both supporters and critics of Menendez will be watching closely to see how this situation unfolds. The debate over his potential pardon is sure to continue as we approach the end of Trump’s presidency and the beginning of a new era in American politics.
