Gold Bar Bob - by Isabel Vincent & Thomas Jason Anderson (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"American politics at its sleaziest."--Publishers Weekly

Power corrupts, and in the case of New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez, power--and boatloads of money--corrupted absolutely and led to the downfall of the Democratic Party.

Senator Bob Menendez stands alone as the most corrupt US Senator in history. After corruption charges were dropped in a 2017 mistrial, he may have considered himself invincible. But when the Feds raided his home in June 2022, they found a gifted Mercedes Benz, more than $600,000 in cash, and thirteen gold bars stuffed in envelopes, clothes, and closets. It was an outrageous haul for a man who styled himself as a fierce anti-corruption crusader, an ambitious Democrat who overthrew his mob-connected predecessor and rose through the ranks to the House of Representatives and the Senate to serve as the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

From New York Post writer Isabel Vincent and government watchdog Thomas Jason Anderson comes the unbelievable story of a vast web of lies and a stunning conviction.

Gold Bar Bob chronicles Menendez's politicking for profit as he enriched a network that included the New Jersey mafia and businessmen from the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Middle East. In exchange for personal and campaign contributions, Bob aided others to sway criminal prosecutions, defraud millions from Medicare, secure questionable visas, acquire government contracts and financial investments, obtain millions in firearms, and weaken Homeland Security.

While Menendez was convicted of sixteen felony counts--including bribery, extortion, fraud, acting as a foreign agent, obstruction of justice, and several counts of conspiracy--there are still many secrets to unveil. After nearly a half-century political career, the lies will finally be unraveled about his family's origins, how his second wife may be part of his crimes, and how much he attempted to get away with.

Review Quotes

"Former Senator Bob Menendez makes Tony Soprano look like Mother Teresa. Gold Bar Bob clearly lays out a vast criminal enterprise operating out of the United States Senate. Written in a direct style, the book exposes not only the incredibly dishonest Menendez, but also our political system that often couldn't care less about corruption. Gold Bar Bob is an enormous wake up call."
--Bill O'Reilly, author of the Killing series

"Gold Bar Bob is the most comprehensive and thoroughly-reported tale of the unlikely rise and dramatic fall of former Sen. Bob Menendez. Meticulously reported and cinematically told, Gold Bar Bob is the real-life political drama that will make you sick to your stomach--but won't let you put it down. Anyone who wants to know how political power can corrupt should read this book."
--Brody Mullins, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter and coauthor of The Wolves of K Street

"A vivid, engrossing account of one of the most audacious episodes of political corruption in modern times, and a window into the damage money in politics inflicts on civic leadership, the American people, and in this case, the world. Pulitzer-worthy and a brilliant read."
--Nina Burleigh, New York Times bestselling author of Golden Handcuffs: The Secret History of Trump's Women

"Gold Bar Bob is a gripping exposé of power, greed, and betrayal at the highest levels of American politics. Isabel Vincent and Thomas Jason Anderson chronicle Senator Robert Menendez's rise and Shakespearean downfall with chilling detail and insider precision. A must-read account of how corruption, once unchecked, can devour even the most calculating survivor."
--Paul Mauro, former NYPD Inspector and founder of The Ops Desk

"Gold Bar Bob clearly and thoroughly documents the corruption that has become all too endemic among the political class in the US--lawmakers who simply believe that they are above the law. It's disgusting and the sad part is that only Bob Menendez was caught."
--Steve Murphy, former DEA agent, host of Game of Crimes podcast, and coauthor of Manhunters: How We Took Down Pablo Escobar

"Gold Bar Bob begins with a meteor blazing over the skies of New Jersey, and Vincent's and Anderson's deliciously detailed account of the Menendez scandal is no less explosive. It plays out like an episode of The Sopranos told from the perspective of an outrageously corrupt politician instead of the mob."
--Frank DiGiacomo, coauthor of Paper of Wreckage: The Rogues, Renegades, Wiseguys, Wankers, and Relentless Reporters Who Redefined American Media

About the Author

Isabel Vincent is an award-winning investigative reporter with the New York Post, and the author of seven nonfiction books. Vincent has exposed numerous incidents of corruption and wrongdoing across the country and has spent the last decade working on Senator Menendez's unlawful actions. A former foreign correspondent, Vincent's work has appeared in the New Yorker, Tatler Magazine, New York Times Magazine, ELLE, airmail, Marie Claire, and TIME among others.

Thomas Jason Anderson is the director of the DC-based Last Government Watchdog organization and has assisted the New York Times and the New York Post on groundbreaking stories surrounding the criminal indictments against Senator Menendez.

Anderson is an expert in navigating Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), ferreting out hidden truths from voluminous public records. From engaging with the Federal Election Commission to collaborating on investigations with the Ethics Committee in the House of Representatives, he has waged a relentless pursuit for the truth in an effort to hold those in power accountable to the public.