New Brunswick, NJ – Greedy, drug company CEO Bob Hugin’s ads and accusations have been debunked by nearly every reputable news organization:
“Our decision: Four Pinocchios.”
Washington Post, 10/17/18
“All of these allegations were discredited,” said Melanie Sloan, former executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington told NJ Advance Media. “It is pretty despicable of Menendez’s opponent to bring up stuff that is completely untrue.”
NJ.com, 10/15/18
“In his latest attack ad Hugin plays fast and loose with the facts. The ad revives false accusations …”
NPR, 10/16/18
“Mr. Hugin has dug deep into his pocket to hammer Mr. Menendez, spending over $10 million on negative ads. His most recent ad focuses on the most salacious details stemming from allegations against Mr. Menendez during his last re-election campaign…. But it has never been proven.
New York Times, 10/17/18
“… these allegations are treated as fact on a website run by the Hugin campaign. That is, until you scroll to the bottom of the site…”
The Week, 10/15/18
“The allegations were shopped around to media outlets in the final days of Menendez’s last reelection, in 2012, but most outlets would not run them because they could not be substantiated. The conservative website The Daily Caller eventually did publish a video of claims made by women whose faces were obscured. Three alleged accusers later recanted, telling Dominican authorities they were paid to lie.”
Politico, 10/15/18
“Three weeks before Election Day, a new ad from Republican Senate candidate Bob Hugin uses the battle over Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh to revive unproven allegations….”
USA Today, 10/15/18
“To deal with this, the Hugin campaign issued a remarkably tasteless commercial yesterday…. This commercial was a remarkable waste of money. ”
Insider NJ, 10/16/18
“Hugin camp claims the ad is based on statements from others that were not recanted (as opposed to other planted allegations). Danger line here – if claim is demonstrably false it can backfire. Also suggests Hugin camp has not moved needle after getting within single digits”
Patrick Murray, Monmouth University, Twitter
“If this is strategy, rather than last minute flailing, I don’t get it. Voters already don’t like Menendez much: Hugin’s job is to somehow capture Dems who don’t like Menendez. This doesn’t help. Moreover, these allegations are on very shaky ground….”
Dan Cassino, FDU PublicMind, Twitter
“…there is virtually no evidence to support these claims…. ”
Columbia Journalism Review, 3/5/13
“An escort who appeared on a video claiming that Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) paid her for sex has told Dominican authorities that she was instead paid to make up the claims and has never met or seen the senator, according to court documents and two people briefed on her claim.
Washington Post, 3/4/13
“3 women were paid to falsely claim they had sex with Menendez, Dominican police say”
Associated Press, 3/18/13
“Dominican police: Women were paid to lie about Sen. Robert Menendez”
CNN, 3/19/13
“A top Dominican law enforcement official said Friday that a local lawyer has reported being paid by someone claiming to work for the conservative Web site the Daily Caller to find prostitutes who would lie and say they had sex for money with Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.).”
Washington Post, 3/22/13
“’Y.F.’ denied that she had ever worked as a prostitute. She also said that she never saw Dr. Melgen or Senator Menendez in the company of any prostitutes or underage females.”
Exibit 18, FBI Affidavit, 8/24/15
“Buchyk denied, however, that she had ever worked as a prostitute, and she said that she never saw Dr. Melgen or Senator Menendez in the company of either prostitutes or underage females.”
Exhibit 18, FBI Affidavit, 8/24/15
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