Rep. Robert J. Menendez (D-Jersey City) is on the attack in his Democratic primary campaign with a five-figure ad buy promoting a new website that calls attention to ethics issues related to Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla’s law license.
The website — CorruptRavi.com — addresses the New Jersey Supreme Court’s 2019 censure of Bhalla for unethical behavior after finding that he left the IRA of an attorney who worked for him unfunded. He avoided a three-month censure recommended by the judiciary’s Disciplinary Review Board in a 4-3 vote.
He was admonished by the state’s top court for record-keeping violations in 2010.
In 2019, Bhalla lost his law license in New York for three months for the same offense. Bhalla remains on the New York suspended list.
Ethics is expected to be the top issue in the 8th district race, where Bhalla is seeking to tie Menendez to his father, Bob Menendez, a three-term U.S. Senator under indictment on federal corruption charges. Bob Menendez’s trial is set to begin on May 6, four weeks before the Democratic primary.
“Eighth District voters deserve to know the truth about corrupt lawyer Ravi Bhalla’s long record of unethical conduct and disciplinary action in his career as an attorney,” said Menendez’s campaign manager, Julietta Vogt. “We are launching CorruptRavi.com and a broad, far-reaching digital campaign to highlight his disturbing ethical breaches and his stunning hypocrisy. Voters will know that they have a choice between corrupt lawyer Ravi Bhalla and Congressman Rob Menendez – who has delivered time and time again for them.”
Rob Horowitz, a spokesman for Bhalla, said that Menendez “is clearly desperate, spending his first advertising dollars of the campaign launching a distorted attack because he has little track record of his own.”
“Mr. Menendez owes his entire political career to his father, Senator Bob Menendez, who currently faces multiple felony indictments for accepting bribes from foreign governments. Senator Menendez handpicked Rob and strong-armed all who stood in his way,” stated Horowitz. “In contrast, Mayor Bhalla is an accomplished public servant who has led the way on climate change, economic recovery, and pedestrian safety, putting in place innovative and nationally recognized solutions. As an attorney, Ravi has stood up for civil rights and tenant’s rights, winning important victories for his clients and always maintaining high ethical standards. The admonishments referenced in the attack stem from payroll disputes that were resolved years ago.”