Sen. Bob Menendez (D., N.J.) may have taken more trips on controversial Democratic donor Dr. Salomon Melgen’s private plane than he has conceded. The senator reportedly took an additional trip to the Dominican Republic sometime in 2008. According to Fox News:
Sen. Robert Menendez took at least one more trip to the Dominican Republic on the plane of a doctor and campaign donor than he has publicly admitted, according to sources who spent time with the New Jersey Democrat on the unreported visit.
Menendez, already under fire for his association with a South Florida doctor and political contributor whose offices were raided by the FBI on Jan. 29, visited the Dominican Republic on the doctor's private jet in 2008 and took part in an exclusive private golf charity tournament, the sources said.
Sources said Menendez flew on Dr. Salomon Melgen's plane to the Dominican Republic in April that year for the invite-only Sugar Open golf tournament at Casa de Campo, an exclusive vacation resort popular with American visitors. While there, Menendez stayed at the doctor's Casa de Campo villa, the sources said.
Menendez previously admitted and reimbursed Melgen for personal flights he took in 2010. The senator said these flights "fell through the cracks," in part because he had "a big travel schedule in 2010."
Fox News’ report notes that Melgen was using a different plane in 2008.
A source claims Menendez and Melgen flew to the Casa de Campo resort, where they participated in the golf tournament.