Bhalla Response To Menendez Tweet About Family Sparks Ire

HOBOKEN, NJ — As the race heats up among local Democrats for the 8th Dist. Congressional primary seat held by Rob Menendez Jr., the latest slugs in the slugfest seemed to tick observers off more than usual.

On Thursday, Rob Menendez Jr. Tweeted a photo of his family. Mayor Ravi Bhalla, who's raised more than $1 million to challenge Menendez — and who has made frequent reference to Menendez's indicted father — commented on the photo with another shot at Bob Sr.

Menendez Jr. Tweeted, with a photo of his wife and children, "This is the Menendez household and who I fight for – along with every resident and family of the 8th – in Washington and NJ every single day."

Bhalla responded, "You have a beautiful family, but you know who else you clearly fight for…. Hint: he likes bribery and gold bars — your silence about your Dad tells us everything. Remember when you testified to get your dad out of jail the last time he was indicted for bribery with Melgen? Will you testify for him again when his trial starts in a few weeks?"

"I hope you'll consider deleting this," commented one observer.

"Ravi, my old running mate, this is a truly reprehensible tweet," wrote former Councilman David Mello. "You good bro? I’m worried about you. There are certain lines that shouldn’t be crossed."

Frequent Bhalla critic Tiffanie Fisher, a Hoboken councilwoman, replied:

The Tweet was also sent at 1:14 p.m. Bhalla has been criticized before for campaigning from City Hall.

Bhalla's mayoral salary is full time. Both Menendez and Bhalla are also lawyers.

Bhalla campaign spokesman Rob Horowitz said Thursday, "Ravi tweeted when he was on the way to a podcast interview for the Congressional campaign — and was not working on city business. His comment was about Senator Menendez who handpicked Rob Menendez Jr. and gave the Hudson County political machine its marching orders to support him, elbowing other candidates out of the way. It is the same machine whose bidding Rob Menendez Jr. still does, and from which he has never shown one inch of independence."

The war of words started earlier that day when Menendez blasted Bhalla on Twitter for not being able to get his city budget passed in Hoboken this week, saying, "Inability to do government 101 like pass a budget." Five of the nine Hoboken council members voted down the spending plan, which has a 6 percent tax increase.

Bhalla responded, "Budgets are easy in the Menendez household when you have endless supplies of gold bars."

Hoboken Councilman Paul Presinzano said he wanted the men to focus on the issues of the district, and asked, "When is the debate?"

Amid the discourse, Bhalla had asked for six debates in the race.