FRIENDSHIPVS. BRIBERYFRIENDSHIPVS. BRIBERY

On Oct. 22, 2008, as the stock marketplunged 500 points and millions werelosing their jobs at the start of theGreat Recession, New Jersey Sen.Robert Menendez had one pressingmatter he had to fix.

He had to get a visa for the mis-tress of his good friend, Dr. SalomonMelgen of Florida.

He wrote a letter to the U.S. consul general in theDominican Republic, where the girlfriend andmodel lived, asking that the general give “all dueconsideration” to the visa application for the wom-an and her sister. The visas were eventually grant-ed.

That is just one example of how the public dutyclashed with the private life of a powerful Demo-cratic senator, but not the only one, federal prose-cutors say.

In 2010, with Menendez in his role as a senator, hewas scheduled to talk to the secretary of Health andHuman Services about what he saw as the govern-ment’s unfair demand for the return of $8.9 millionin taxpayer money. The government wanted itsMedicare money back from Melgen, an eye doctor.

BOB JORDAN @BOBJORDANAPPTHE HELPFUL SENATOR

A summary of events involving Sen. Robert Menendez,D-N.J., and Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen, accordingto the federal corruption indictment:

VISAS FOR GIRLFRIENDS

In 2007, 2008 and 2009, the senator personally intercededto win U.S. visas for three of Melgen’s girlfriends: A Ukra-nian living in Spain, a Brazilian and a Dominican, all mod-els.

HELP WITH DISPUTES

Pressured the State Department to intervene in a contractdispute between Melgen and the Dominican Republic.Sided with Melgen against the U.S. government over an$8.9 million Medicare billing dispute.

What Menendez got from MelgenPosh vacations: At least seven vacations in the DominicanRepublic, including six at Melgen’s private villa, and a three-night stay at the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome. Menendez andguests mostly flew on Melgen’s private planes.

How Melgen helped Menendez$40,000 in contributions to Menendez’s legal defense fundand $751,500 for various re-election campaigns.

Were theyjust giftsor epic

payoffs?

See GIFTS, Page 9A

THE MENENDEZ CORRUPTION CASE

EFFECTS OF CALIFORNIA’S DROUGHT LIKELY TO BE FELT BY MANY PAGE 1B

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TRENTON — The words of the prophet Isaiah reso-nated inside the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assump-tion on Palm Sunday.

“The Lord has given me a well-trained tongue, that Imight know how to speak to the weary.”

The same passage was read in Catholic churches allover the world that day, but it seemed particularly ap-plicable to the angular, red-robed figure seated at thealtar in Trenton, Bishop David M. O’Connell.

For the soon-to-be 60-year-old spiritual leader of theDiocese of Trenton, this Mass, marking the start of Ho-ly Week, had special significance.

Just three months earlier, O’Connell had undergonesurgery at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital-Hamilton to have his lower left leg amputated. It wasthe latest and most drastic intervention yet in what forhim has been a long, painful battle with diabetes.

Two weeks after the surgery, in a video released bythe diocese, O’Connell expressed his hope that hewould recover in time to celebrate this very Mass.

Now, after weeks of physical therapy, that hope wasrealized. Fitted with a prosthesis, O’Connell walked thelength of the long, Romanesque cathedral, using hisgolden crosier — the pastoral staff that bishops carry— to steady his still-rocky gait.

A series of steps waited for him at the foot of the al-tar. Up he went, one hand resting on the shoulder of hisassistant. Then more steps, to reach his high-backedthrone.

Once there, he looked out over the singing congre-gation and flashed a boyish grin, as if to say, “Look, Imade it!”

JASON TOWLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Bishop David M. O’Connell celebrates Palm Sunday Mass atthe Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, Trenton.

Bishop backfrom ordealwith faithbolsteredSHANNON MULLEN @MULLENAPP

“Prayer really is the answer to so

much, because what you do in prayer

is you recognize God’s presence and

you hand your life over to him.”

BISHOP DAVID M. O’CONNELL, TRENTON DIOCESE

See BISHOP, Page 4A

ARTISTIC EXPLOSIONCity has a future as a film hub, festival

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