Yant-Kinney Shills for Menendez

Monica Yant-Kinney is a metro reporter for the Inquirer and on occassion actually writes some good pieces. This would not be one of those times. Let's start with this:

At this point, they might as well cancel the debates for the U.S. Senate race and put Tom Kean Jr. and Bob Menendez in a vat of mud to wrestle out their differences.

The fight to be the last man standing - winner gets a Senate seat and use of the Capitol dry cleaner! - would be at least as entertaining as that reality show The Biggest Loser.

Plus, the candidates already know how to slip and slide. So no need to prep for the performance.

Yada, yada, yada...typical Mo Dowd cloning in action. It's really not that hard to actually have a point and be funny. Hell, people like Ace do that and don't get paid for it.

Anyway, MY-K continues:

I've heard of sleeping with the enemy. I've heard of political turncoats.

But a Republican operative becoming pen-pals with a Democratic political boss in prison as a way of winning the race and sticking it to an old rival?

What do you call this sort of conspiracy, anyway? Quadruple-crossing?

I for one am shocked, a donk politico is in jail and was thrown under the bus by his dem buddies, I imagine revenge would be utmost in his mind. Look at the people who spoke out for him...not one significant politician.

Now this piece degenerates into a political hit-job:

Until recently, Kean was selling himself as a Boy Scout who could start fires with his magic ethics sticks, while Menendez, Gov. Corzine's hand-picked successor, raced around the state trying to convince voters his pal hadn't made a big mistake.

Menendez remains highly flammable, but now it looks like Kean bought his image on eBay.

When the golden boy seems as soiled as his tarnished target, voters must wonder if it's too late to trade in both of these duds for a senator to be named at a later date. Or maybe Jersey could get by with one for a while?

And that one is the embarrassing Frank Lautenberg. What exactly is Yant-Kinney's problem with using a jailed donk for more evidence that Menendez is a political thug and possesses as much ethics as the Inquirer does shame. This, as you remember, is the same paper that ran a twenty-one day endorsement for John Kerry for president.

The story, as told in the Newark Star-Ledger, goes like this:

A Kean researcher, Chris Lyon, cozied up to former Hudson County Executive Robert Janiszewski, a Democrat currently residing in a federal prison cell after pocketing one too many envelopes stuffed with cash (from fellow Democrats--ed.)

Normally, there would be no reason for these two to acknowledge one another, let alone exchange pleasantries via snail mail. But party loyalty ain't what it used to be.

Ah Ms. Kinney, but it is. If this man has info on ethical lapses by Menendez, the public has the right and need to know. Period.

In this state, it's all about settling scores and advancing personal agendas. Especially in Hudson County.

Yes, Hudson County, which has been a donk stronghold for longer than either Kean or Menendez have been alive.

A quick primer for South Jersey readers who don't dare venture that far north: When in doubt, hug it out. That Hudson County VIP you're talking to may be wearing a wire.

Janiszewski, the former county executive, got caught in an FBI sting in 2000 taking a bribe from a Union City psychiatrist named Oscar Sandoval.

If Sandoval's name sounds familiar, it's because he's the same guy who says he was pressured in 1999 to hire a doctor favored by then-U.S. Rep. Menendez or risk losing $1 million in government contracts.

And if Chris Lyon rings a bell, it's because he's the same op-research pro who dug dirt on Democrats like U.S. Sen. Robert Torricelli and acting Gov. Donald DiFrancesco before they added "former" to their titles and fled their races in scandal.

Of course the reason the Torch bowed out is because he was guilty of every charge. In fact, that Senator you wish to retain--Lautenberg--got on the ballot due to some dubious dealings by those in charge in the state. Of course, Lautenberg had his own ethical issues.

As for DiFrancesco, he probably would've been proven to have skeletons in his closet if it weren't for public sympathy after two DJ's got his ire--and public sentiment--up.

Given the vindictive nature of the electoral process, and the up-and-down nature of their relationship, I suppose it's not that surprising Janiszewski chose to smear Menendez by sharing insight and advice with (gasp!) Republicans.

"Political intrigue is... well... intriguing," Janiszewski wrote Lyon, in one letter obtained by the reporters.

Again, a guy who was sold out by his political brethren had an axe to grind and chose to do it now. Kind of like a political party knowing that a Congressman was acting inappropriately toward teenage boys and chose to withold the information for years until it was politically advantageous. Even if it meant the congressman would ruin the lives of other teenage boys.

First, the laughable claim that he's not to blame, since Lyon is not a direct employee, but a mere subcontractor specializing in sleaze.

When pressed, the Kean camp suggested that dirty tricks are more than justified - required? - when you're up against a lowlife like Menendez.

Why, in the interest of public integrity, the Republican campaign even volunteered to collect more damning data on the Democrat, inviting "anyone who has information about Bob Menendez's corruption to either come forward to us or go to the federal authorities immediately."

Again, shouldn't the public have all available evidence prior to the day of voting? Is Yant-Kinney suggesting that the myriad corruption charges against Menendez should not be investigated? Would she feel the same if Menendez were a Republican? That last is rhetorical.

Democrats weren't buying the piety. U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg dubbed Kean's tactics "gutter politics" and "the ugliest, trashiest campaign one can see."

Again with Latenberg. He was illegally placed on the ballot after his fellow donk was done in by serious ethical violations. Sorry Monica, Frank Lautenberg's words ring hollow.

In short, Yant-Kinney has shown her true colors as a political hack for Menendez and the Dems. I should expect more from the Inquirer but gave up on that ages ago.