GOP lawmaker: Obama punishing Dem senator over Iran
Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) is doubling down on his contention that the Obama administration’s case against Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) is politically motivated.
“I believe that Bob Menendez was indicted solely on the crime of opposing the president on Iran,” Kirk said during an event in Illinois last month, according to audio obtained by Politico.
{mosads}Menendez was indicted last year on corruption and bribery charges after months of public speculation. He is currently battling with the Department of Justice in court, arguing that he is innocent.
The charges against Menendez, then the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, came as he and Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) were pushing legislation that would give Congress oversight on any agreement with Iran.
Mendendez has been a chief critic of the administration’s policies on Iran, and was one of four Democratic senators to oppose the nuclear deal.
Last month’s remarks aren’t the first time Kirk has floated that the charges are political retribution. He told MSNBC shortly after Menendez’s indictment that “I’m worried now by leaking stuff [from] Justice it’s politically motivated to silence Bob for his work on Iran, which he should be praised for.”
Abd he’s not the only senator who has linked the corruption case to Menendez’s vocal criticism of the president. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), referencing comments that DOJ would bring charges, told reporters in Iowa last year “the timing seems awfully coincidental.”
Kirk, who faces a difficult reelection bid, used last month’s event to tout his work on foreign policy and with Democrats, including his legislation with Menendez to extend sanctions against Iran. He’ll face Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) in November.
Sean Savett, a spokesman for the Democratic Party of Illinois, quickly pounced on Kirk’s comments, saying the Republican senator “always had a problem telling the truth but this is extremely far fetched, even for him.”
“Republican Mark Kirk lied about his military record at least 10 times. Now, he’s attacking Tammy Duckworth’s service record and generating conspiracy theories that liken President Obama to Richard Nixon. What’s next?” he added.
– Updated at 12:34 p.m.
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