NBC and ABC barely covered the possible corruption case against Democratic Senator Robert Menendez on their Friday evening newscasts. Together, the two networks set aside 49 seconds of air time to news briefs on Senator Menendez being "the subject of a corruption investigation over jet trips he took on the private plane of a Florida eye doctor," as Lester Holt put it on NBC Nightly News [video below].
ABC's David Muir didn't directly give the party affiliation of the New Jersey politician during his 26-second brief on World News Tonight – merely stating that "the senator [is] suspected of allegedly accepting gifts in exchange for helping a top Democratic donor in Florida with his business." By contrast, Holt led his 23-second news brief by pointing out that "federal grand jury could bring charges against a prominent Senate Democrat later this month, according to sources familiar with the case."
The same evening, CBS Evening News stood out for airing a full, one minute and 39 second report on the possible criminal charges against the Democrat. Like Holt, fill-in anchor Charlie Rose wasted little time before mentioning Menendez's party ID during his introduction for correspondent Nancy Cordes's report: "Tonight, a law enforcement official tells CBS News the Justice Department is preparing to file criminal charges against Democratic Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey."
During the segment, Cordes detailed the senator's questionable dealings with his friend, Dr. Salomon Melgen:
NANCY CORDES (voice-over): The relationship between Senator Menendez and eye doctor, Salomon Melgen, has been under scrutiny for years. In 2013, Dr. Melgen's clinic in West Palm Beach, Florida was raided by the F.B.I. He was accused of over-billing Medicare by $9 million. The senator's office contacted U.S. health officials to see if the charges could be disputed.
Menendez is also accused of using his position atop the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to advocate on behalf of one of Melgen's investments – a port security contract in the Dominican Republic.
(...)
The two-term New Jersey senator has always denied he helped Melgen in exchange for donations or gifts. In a statement today, his office said, 'The senator has counted Dr. Melgen as one of his closest personal friends for decades. The two have spent holidays together.'
But those holidays have caused problems, too. In 2013, Menendez had to reimburse Melgen $58,000 for flights on Melgen's private plane – flights Menendez had failed to report on gift disclosure forms three years earlier.
CORDES (on-camera): If the Justice Department does charge Menendez with corruption, he will face a challenging legal road ahead. Charlie, former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell was just sentenced to two years in prison for helping to promote the business of one of his wealthy friends.
It should be pointed out that three Spanish-language media outlets – Univision, Telemundo, and Mundo Fox – put the Big Three networks to shame by devoting full reports to the emerging story. Univision aired a 2 minute, 36 second report to Senator Menendez's possible corruption, while Telemundo set aside 3 minutes and 8 seconds to the case. Both networks also explicitly mentioned the New Jersey politician's Democratic affiliation.
The transcripts of the news briefs from Friday's World News Tonight on ABC and NBC Nightly News:
03/06/2015
06:33 pm EST
ABC – World News TonightDAVID MUIR: Also breaking at this hour: federal prosecutors considering possible corruption charges against New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez – the senator suspected of allegedly accepting gifts in exchange for helping a top Democratic donor in Florida with his business. ABC News speaking with a federal official familiar with the case – saying a criminal charge could come in the next several weeks – grand juries hearing evidence in Newark and Miami. The senator's office saying he and the donor are close friends, but have done nothing wrong.
03/06/2015
07:09 pm EST
NBC Nightly NewsLESTER HOLT: A federal grand jury could bring charges against a prominent Senate Democrat later this month, according to sources familiar with the case. New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez is the subject of a corruption investigation over jet trips he took on the private plane of a Florida eye doctor. Federal prosecutors want to know whether Menendez exchanged political favors in return. Both the senator and the doctor deny any wrongdoing.
