This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/05/robert-menendez-denies-prostitute-allegations
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Robert Menendez denies prostitute trip allegations | Robert Menendez denies prostitute trip allegations |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| A prominent Dominican lawyer who has been accused of hosting outings on his yacht in which a New Jersey senator used the services of prostitutes strongly denied the allegations on Monday and said he would seek a criminal investigation into the source of the reports. | A prominent Dominican lawyer who has been accused of hosting outings on his yacht in which a New Jersey senator used the services of prostitutes strongly denied the allegations on Monday and said he would seek a criminal investigation into the source of the reports. |
| Senator Robert Menendez also issued his own denial of the allegations from Washington, calling them "smears." | Senator Robert Menendez also issued his own denial of the allegations from Washington, calling them "smears." |
| The attorney, Vinicio Castillo Semán, says the allegations, published in US media and on the internet, are "absurd." He filed a formal complaint with the district attorney of Santo Domingo, a step that typically triggers a criminal investigation under the legal system of the Caribbean country. | The attorney, Vinicio Castillo Semán, says the allegations, published in US media and on the internet, are "absurd." He filed a formal complaint with the district attorney of Santo Domingo, a step that typically triggers a criminal investigation under the legal system of the Caribbean country. |
| A prosecutor was scheduled to meet with Castillo on Tuesday to discuss his complaint. | A prosecutor was scheduled to meet with Castillo on Tuesday to discuss his complaint. |
| Castillo, the son of a presidential adviser, called a news conference to discuss what he called the "false and defamatory" allegations that his yacht was the scene of encounters involving prostitutes, two of whom were underage, hired for the use of Menendez. | Castillo, the son of a presidential adviser, called a news conference to discuss what he called the "false and defamatory" allegations that his yacht was the scene of encounters involving prostitutes, two of whom were underage, hired for the use of Menendez. |
| He said he has known the senator for about 15 years and had never seen him with a prostitute. | He said he has known the senator for about 15 years and had never seen him with a prostitute. |
| "I have never seen him behave in any way that was not impeccable and dignified," Castillo said. | "I have never seen him behave in any way that was not impeccable and dignified," Castillo said. |
| The senator met with reporters in Washington on Monday and acknowledged that he flew on the doctor's private plane to the Dominican Republic, but denied meeting prostitutes and blamed the allegation on political enemies. | The senator met with reporters in Washington on Monday and acknowledged that he flew on the doctor's private plane to the Dominican Republic, but denied meeting prostitutes and blamed the allegation on political enemies. |
| A group called Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or Crew, said it had received emails starting in April 2012 alleging that Menendez used the services of prostitutes from 2009-2010 in the Dominican Republic, and that two of them may have been 16, which would be illegal in both the Dominican Republic and the US, which prohibits people from traveling overseas to engage in sex with minors. The emails came from someone identified as Peter Williams, though that may be a pseudonym. | A group called Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or Crew, said it had received emails starting in April 2012 alleging that Menendez used the services of prostitutes from 2009-2010 in the Dominican Republic, and that two of them may have been 16, which would be illegal in both the Dominican Republic and the US, which prohibits people from traveling overseas to engage in sex with minors. The emails came from someone identified as Peter Williams, though that may be a pseudonym. |
| The emails said the senator traveled to the Dominican Republic in the private plane of Dr Salomon Melgen, a Florida eye doctor of Dominican descent who is a prominent Democratic campaign contributor, and that the encounters with the prostitutes occurred in homes owned by Melgen and in a yacht owned by Castillo. | The emails said the senator traveled to the Dominican Republic in the private plane of Dr Salomon Melgen, a Florida eye doctor of Dominican descent who is a prominent Democratic campaign contributor, and that the encounters with the prostitutes occurred in homes owned by Melgen and in a yacht owned by Castillo. |
| Castillo said he has never hosted any parties involving prostitutes on his boat and never lent it to Melgen. The accounts are "absurd," he said. | Castillo said he has never hosted any parties involving prostitutes on his boat and never lent it to Melgen. The accounts are "absurd," he said. |
| "It's absolutely false and slanderous to say that I have been on trips or at parties with underage prostitutes with Menendez and Melgen," he said. | "It's absolutely false and slanderous to say that I have been on trips or at parties with underage prostitutes with Menendez and Melgen," he said. |
| Crew said it investigated the allegations, but was unable to prove or disprove them and sent a letter to the US department of justice asking for an investigation. A conservative website, The Daily Caller, then published the allegations, which drew more attention after Melgen's offices in Florida were raided by federal agents. The FBI has declined to say why it searched Melgen's office or whether he is under investigation. | Crew said it investigated the allegations, but was unable to prove or disprove them and sent a letter to the US department of justice asking for an investigation. A conservative website, The Daily Caller, then published the allegations, which drew more attention after Melgen's offices in Florida were raided by federal agents. The FBI has declined to say why it searched Melgen's office or whether he is under investigation. |
| Castillo said the episode is a smear campaign, intended to scuttle a contract for port security by a company controlled by Melgen. | Castillo said the episode is a smear campaign, intended to scuttle a contract for port security by a company controlled by Melgen. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |