Menendez Says He Reimbursed Donor For Two Trips

Sen. Robert Menendez's office says he reimbursed a prominent Florida political donor $58,500 for the full cost of two out of three trips on the donor's plane to the Dominican Republic.

There was no public disclosure.

Menendez spokeswoman Tricia Enright says the New Jersey senator paid for the two trips out of his personal account, so there were no reporting requirements.

The Daily Caller began publishing stories about Menendez and donor Salomen Melgen on Nov. 1, when it reported that two women from the Dominican Republic said Menendez paid them for sex earlier in 2012. Prostitution is legal in the Caribbean nation.

Melgen is involved in numerous businesses, all sharing the same address in West Palm Beach, according to records filed with the Department of State in Florida.

Late Tuesday and early Wednesday, FBI agents were seen inside the West Palm Beach building, walking its halls and standing beside shelves full of files.

The Daily Caller,reported shortly before the November election that Menendez traveled on Melgen's private plane to the Dominican Republic to engage in sex with prostitutes.

Menendez's office said the accusations of engaging with prostitutes "are manufactured by a politically motivated right-wing blog and are false."

At FBI headquarters in Washington, spokesman Jason Pack said the bureau "cannot comment on the existence or status of an investigation." Justice Department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler also declined to comment.

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