[Politics] Recording raises new questions about police response to fatal crash involving Sen. Bob Menendez wife

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Recording raises new questions about police response to fatal crash involving Sen. Bob Menendez's wife
Multiple sources are asking why a retired chief of detectives for the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office showed up at the crash scene to apparently assist Nadine Menendez. 

Police dashcam video and audio recordings are raising new questions about how local police and Bergen County prosecutors handled the 2018 fatal crash investigation involving a woman who soon married New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez. 

Dashcam video from the scene that evening in Bogota, N.J., shows Nadine Arslanian Menendez saying that she done nothing wrong. At one point, she also asks an officer about the pedestrian who she had just struck and killed, “Why was the guy in the middle of the street?”

Several sources familiar with the matter are asking why a retired chief of detectives for the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office showed up at the crash scene to apparently speak to police and assist Nadine Menendez. 

The sources pointed to one section of the police dashboard video footage where retired the retired chief, Michael Mordaga, is heard asking police what is going on. An officer replies, “That’s what we are gathering now … [it’s] dark… her breath, ya know?”

Police reports have suggested there was no signs that Nadine Arslsanian Menendez was driving while impaired at the time of the crash. Police reports also show that no Breathalyzer or other tests were performed on Menendez that night.

“One can imagine police ordering someone to at least perform field sobriety tests just based on those words and observations alone,” said NBC legal analyst Danny Cevallos. 

Investigators said the victim, Richard Kopp, 49, had jaywalked after drinking with friends on the night that Nadine Menendez hit him with her Mercedes. 

As NBC News first reported, the state attorney general is now investigating whether police and Bergen county prosecutors handled the fatal crash scene appropriately. Nadine Menendez’s connection to the death of Richard Koop has come to light only this week.

Mrs. Menendez’s lawyer, David Schertler, said in a statement, “This is a case of a tragic accident, but Nadine Menendez was not at fault, did not violate any laws, and was therefore not charged with any crimes. Schertler added, "We are confident that any 're-opening' of an investigation into the accident will confirm that conclusion.”  

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/recording-raises-new-questions-police-response-fatal-crash-involving-s-rcna119311