Democrat Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) has been off the range for several months. Menendez has been a thorn in the political side of the Obama administration on issues with Cuban relations and nuclear talks with Iran. Today the White House strikes back.

According to breaking news, coming from the Dept of Justice to CNN, Senator Menendez is anticipated to be indicted on federal corruption charges for a quid-pro-quo deal, selling political influence on behalf of a major donor.

Back in January of 2013 the FBI raided the West Palm Beach business of an eye doctor suspected of providing free trips and even underage Dominican Republic prostitutes to U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J.

(Via CNN) […]  People briefed on the case say Attorney General Eric Holder has signed off on prosecutors’ request to proceed with charges, CNN has learned exclusively. An announcement could come within weeks. Prosecutors are under pressure in part because of the statute of limitation on some of the allegations.

[…]  The government’s case centers on Menendez’s relationship with Salomon Melgen, a Florida ophthalmologist who the senator has called a friend and political supporter. Melgen and his family have been generous donors to the senator and various committees the senator is associated with.

[…] Investigators have focused in part on plane trips Menendez took in 2010 to the Dominican Republic as a guest of Melgen. In 2013, after word of the federal investigation became public, Menendez paid back Melgen $58,000 for the 2010 plane trips calling his failure to properly disclose the flights an “oversight.”

Menendez has denied any wrongdoing in his ties to Melgen. His spokeswoman did not immediately comment on CNN’s report that the Department of Justice is preparing charges against him.   (read more)