The Democratic political donor at the center of a simmering Washington scandal has brought in crisis communications and new legal counsel.
Scrutiny of the donor, Florida ophthalmologist and investor Salmon Melgen, has escalated since the New York Times in January highlighted his ties to embattled Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), including over multimillion-dollar a port security deal in the Dominican Republic.
Politico published a lengthy profile of Melgen Tuesday that noted he recently hired criminal defense attorney Kirk Ogrosky of Arnold & Porter, as well as Kekst and Company.
Melgen’s $30,400 donation to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee got him a photo with President Obama, which was published in the Politico report, but Melgen was reportedly irked that Obama brushed him off.
Kekst, part of Publicis, has not yet been reached.
Menendez is reportedly under a federal grand jury investigation for his dealings with Melgen, although allegations touted in conservative media against the New Jersey lawmaker involving prostitutes in the Dominican Republic have been largely debunked.
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