Darren Soto camp received contributions from embattled Sen. Menendez’s PAC in 2016-2018
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to include a response from Soto’s campaign, which Florida’s Voice received the day after this report was published.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Florida Democratic Rep. Darren Soto’s campaign previously received multiple contributions from embattled Democratic New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez’s leadership political action committee, New Millennium PAC.
Menendez, along with his wife Nadine Menendez, and three New Jersey businessmen made headlines after the U.S. Department of Justice announced charges relating to bribery offenses. On Monday, Menendez announced he would not resign and denied wrongdoing.
According to Open Secrets, Menendez is the leadership PAC’s sponsor.
Three contributions from 2016 and 2018 were given to “Darren Soto for Congress” totaling $9,000, according to the FEC website.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Soto said he is donating the $9,000 contribution to a veterans charity, Homes For Our Troops, and said Soto believes Menendez should resign.
“Given the seriousness of the allegations, Rep. Soto believes that Senator Menendez should resign,” the spokesperson told Florida’s Voice.
“Why hasn’t Darren Soto spoken up or given back Senator Menendez’s crooked contributions? Soto’s silence speaks volumes,” National Republican Congressional Committee spokeswoman Delanie Bomar told Florida’s Voice on Monday.
On Monday, Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., announced he would be returning $5,000 in contributions he received from the PAC. The FEC website shows one contribution from 2022.
On Sept. 23, Fetterman said “Menendez should resign.”
“He’s entitled to the presumption of innocence, but he cannot continue to wield influence over national policy, especially given the serious and specific nature of the allegations,” Fetterman said.
Senator Menendez should resign.
— Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) September 23, 2023
He’s entitled to the presumption of innocence, but he cannot continue to wield influence over national policy, especially given the serious and specific nature of the allegations.
I hope he chooses an honorable exit and focuses on his trial.
Former Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., also called for Menendez to step down.
In our country all defendants are innocent until proven guilty, but as a former detective, the evidence against Senator Menendez is overwhelming and cuts like a knife.
— Val Demings (@valdemings) September 25, 2023
Let's not (once again) ignore the painfully obvious.
He should step down.
Almost all of New Jersey’s Democratic House delegation has also reportedly called on Menendez to step down.
According to a press release, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said between 2018 and 2022, Menendez and his wife engaged in a “corrupt relationship” with three New Jersey businessmen who “collectively paid hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes.”
The bribes included “cash, gold, a Mercedes Benz, and other things of value in exchange for Senator Menendez agreeing to use his power and influence to protect and enrich those businessmen and to benefit the Government of Egypt.”
“My Office is firmly committed to rooting out corruption, without fear or favor, and without any regard to partisan politics. We will continue to do so,” Williams said.
