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JUSTICE FOR 9/11

SEPTEMBER 26, 2023

9/11 WIDOWS: MENENDEZ-LEGISLATION MUST BE EXAMINED FOR CORRUPTION

Last  Friday, Senator Bob Menendez was indicted on federal corruption  charges. Yesterday at a press conference, Senator Menendez denied the  federal corruption charges and listed groups of “ordinary people” that  he had helped while serving as Senator.

Among  the groups touted by Menendez were 9/11 widows and children.  Specifically, Menendez spoke about last year’s “Fairness for 9/11  Families’ Act” legislation that delivered long overdue relief in the  amount of billions of dollars to the 9/11 widows and children and other  victims.

In  light of the corruption charges brought against Menendez, we believe  that Congress must examine and investigate all Menendez-led legislation  (past and present) to ensure that no corruption, no self-dealing, and no  undue influence played a role in the creation of such legislation. 

With regard to Menendez’ S.5045: “Fairness for 9/11 Families Act,” we call upon Congress to investigate the following TOP TEN questions:

QUESTION #1: Menendez’ “Fairness for 9/11 Families Act” appropriated $2.982 billion for the 9/11 LSCUP, yet only $2.652billion was sent to the 9/11 LSCUP Trust Account (page 6). Where is the remaining $330million? 

QUESTION #2: What is the full nature of the relationship between Senator Menendez (page 121) and the attorney(s) who represent the 1983 Beirut barracks  bombing and the 1996 Khobar towers bombing victims (“Peterson”  Plaintiffs)? (Page 8 of Exhibit A)

QUESTION #3:  What percentage of the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing and the 1996 Khobar  towers bombing victims (“Peterson” Plaintiffs) that qualify for  compensation under the Menendez “Fairness for 9/11 Families’ Act” sold rights (in whole or in part) to their Iran Judgments to RDLegal (NJ and Cayman Islands hedge-funds), Cedars Funding (NY and Cayman  Island hedge-funds) or any other hedge-fund or 3rd-party “litigation  funder”? (Pages 9-13 of link)

QUESTION #4:  As per the Menendez “Fairness for 9/11 Families Act,” what percentage  of the $3billion U.S. taxpayer dollars appropriated for the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing and the 1996 Khobar towers bombing victims (“Peterson” Plaintiffs) will end up in the RD Legal Hedge-funds, in the hands of Cedars Funding, or any other onshore or offshore hedge-funds—and not in the hands of real victims of terrorism? (Pages 9-13 of link)

QUESTION #5: In the Menendez “Fairness for 9/11 Families Act"  section addressing compensation owed to Beirut Bombing and Khobar Tower  Bombing victims (“Peterson” plaintiffs), what is the meaning of “or any  successor in interest thereof”? (Page 1651 of link)

QUESTION #6: What is the full nature of the relationship between Senator Menendez and any of the hedge-funds or 3rd party litigation funders that are “successors in interest  thereof” the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing and the 1996 Khobar towers  bombing victims (“Peterson” Plaintiffs) Iran Judgments? (Page 121 of  link)

QUESTION #7:  Are Senator Menendez or Nadine Menendez investors in any onshore or  offshore hedge-funds that have invested in the 1983 Beirut barracks  bombing and the 1996 Khobar towers bombing victims (“Peterson”  Plaintiffs) Iran judgments and will receive compensation as a result of  Menendez’ “Fairness for 9/11 Families’ Act”?

QUESTION #8: Other than the “Fairness for 9/11 Families’ Act”, what other legislation from 2010-2023 has Senator Menendez sponsored that has directly or indirectly compensated the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing and the 1996 Khobar towers bombing  victims (“Peterson” Plaintiffs), RD Legal, Cedars Funding, any other  onshore or offshore hedge-funds, and/or the “Peterson" attorneys? (Page  105 of link)

QUESTION #9:  What percentage of compensation from the USVSSTF’s “non-9/11 side” has  gone to “any successor in interest thereof” who purchased or invested in  the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing and the 1996 Khobar towers bombing  victims (“Peterson” Plaintiffs)?

QUESTION #10:  Can the gross disparity in compensation in the USVSSTF between the 9/11  and non-9/11 sides (the non-9/11 side has received 5X more  compensation) be attributed to the existence of onshore and offshore  hedge-fund investors being “successors in interest thereof” that  financially benefit from the non-9/11 side of the USVSSTF? Have any  onshore or offshore hedge-fund investors influenced legislation related  to compensation in the USVSSTF that has directly or indirectly harmed  9/11 widows and children?