Without definite proof and concrete evidence...leave New Jersey's U.S. Senator Robert Menendez alone when it comes to prostitutes...and stop smearing his name!

     The Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America.  We all, of course, know that fact.  We also all know that the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gives

Americans "freedom of speech." 

     That being said, I've got to believe that President James Madison... nicknamed the "Father Of Our Constitution"...President George Washington... known as the "Father Of Our Country"...plus Benjamin Franklin and other well respected "founding fathers"... are spinning in their graves today...because of how some conservatives have used their First Amendment right to smear people without just cause or the proper evidence.

     Case in point...is how certain right-wing rags have bad-mouthed United States Senator Robert Menendez by accusing him of participating in sex parties with prostitutes.

     Shortly before election day in November 2012, a conservative on-line publication cited three unidentified sources who claimed Menendez had flown by private jet to the Dominican Republic - and while in the Caribbean nation - the New Jersey Democrat was allegedly engaged in paid sexual interludes.

     In an exclusive interview with CNN on Monday, February 4th, 2013, Senator Menendez told Chief Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash on Capitol Hill that, "The bottom line is all those smears are absolutely false."

     Menendez is disputing allegations of improper travel to the Dominican Republic by flying in an airplane owned by Dr. Salomon Melgen - a Florida ophthalmologist - whose generosity made him the senator's biggest political donor in Menendez's re-election campaign in 2012.

     The writers of The Daily Caller - a right-wing blog that was founded by conservative commentator Tucker Carlson and by Neil Patel, who once served as an adviser to former Vice President Dick Cheney - are apparently trying to ruin the life and career of a decent American - who has served this country well - as they are pointing the finger at Senator Menendez by claiming he would take journeys to the Dominican Republic for trysts with hookers.  The Daily Caller's "tall tales" are supposedly based on interviews with two women and one Dominican Republic official - all of which have been unidentified.

     Despite the fact that prostitution is legal in the Dominican Republic, Menendez vows that he has done nothing wrong and describes "anonymous, nameless, faceless individuals" - who have written bogus articles - for manipulating mainstream media in to reporting this non-story.

     The Senate Ethics Committee is investigating this entire case as Menendez takes on the duties of chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee - succeeding former Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, who is now Secretary of State in the Obama Administration.

     Meanwhile, a prominent attorney in the Dominican Republic denies allegations that he arranged for outings on his yacht for Menendez and prostitutes.  Lawyer Vinicio Castillo-Seman is seeking a criminal investigation in to the source of the reports by The Daily Caller, which Castillo-Semen calls "absurd."  Castillo-Semen, who is the son of a presidential adviser and the brother of a member of the Dominican Republic Congress, says he's known Menendez for about 15 years and he has "never seen (the senator) behave in any way that was not impeccable and dignified."

     As for flying to the Caribbean on Dr. Melgen's private plane, Menendez has acknowledged that he initially failed to properly pay for the trips, but that he has reimbursed about $58,500 from his personal funds after it came to his "attention" that the money had not been paid.  Menendez says it was unfortunate that the trips "fell through the cracks."  He states that when he was made aware "that payment had not taken place, I personally paid for them in order to meet my obligation."

     So why would The Daily Caller post unsubstantiated stories on its blog?  And who are these so-called "unidentified" sources who aren't named in The Daily Caller's published reports?  Where are these people?

     I'm not the only one who is asking questions and who is puzzled.  Senator Menendez has obviously stated that, "Nobody can find them.  No one ever met them.  No one ever talked to them."

     There was one woman who had been accused of being one of the prostitutes allegedly involved with Menendez, but she has denied any such claims and told the Spanish language television network, Univision, that she has "never participated in those activities" and adds, "I don't know that man." 

     New Jersey voters re-elected Menendez last November with a landslide win and a recent poll by the Monmouth University Polling Institute shows that, at least so far, none of the allegations against Senator Menendez seems to matter much to voters in "The Garden State."

     In the interest of full disclosure, I am a longtime resident of New Jersey.  Although I don't live there now, I grew up in Bergen County and will always consider New Jersey as my home.  Also, it's no secret that I'm a liberal.  However, all that being said, if the matter discussed in my commentary today involved allegations of a conservative politician from a state other than New Jersey - without definite proof and concrete evidence - I'd feel the same way as I do about Senator Menendez.

     So why must gutless cowards stay in the dark and not come forward with proof - if they have it - about Senator Robert Menendez?  The obvious reason is...because their allegations against Senator Menendez...are simply not true.

     And that's The Controversy for today.

     I'm Gary B. Duglin.

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