Nicholas Charavalati
Appearances
The New Yorker Radio Hour
How Bob Menendez Came By His Gold Bars
I didn't really get to know him until I went to work for the city of Bayonne.
The New Yorker Radio Hour
How Bob Menendez Came By His Gold Bars
Former state legislator. Been in and around Hudson County politics since I was about 14 years old. We had a meeting in City Hall.
The New Yorker Radio Hour
How Bob Menendez Came By His Gold Bars
And truth be told, Nancy, I was way over my head.
The New Yorker Radio Hour
How Bob Menendez Came By His Gold Bars
We had been making the case that the army and the Port Authority were not dealing with us truthfully. And the moment that the army reiterated the lie to him, I remember as clear as day, he got up, kicked his chair over, and basically told them, there's no freaking way you're getting this land.
The New Yorker Radio Hour
How Bob Menendez Came By His Gold Bars
That was the moment that, you know, quite frankly, I was like, that's the type of guy I want representing me.
The New Yorker Radio Hour
How Bob Menendez Came By His Gold Bars
And, you know, he had a very different style than I did. We got into an argument once. He wanted me to deliver a message to an elected official, but he wanted me to deliver it in his manner. And I delivered the message in my manner. And he actually said to me, I thought I was hiring a Rottweiler, not a poodle.
The New Yorker Radio Hour
How Bob Menendez Came By His Gold Bars
So I think intelligence was one. Two was work ethic. I mean, he just would work all the time, especially back then he was a beast. Three was loyalty, right? Because once he was your friend, he would stick with you even if it was against his interest.
The New Yorker Radio Hour
How Bob Menendez Came By His Gold Bars
Being from Hudson County in New Jersey, it was, if you remember, it was like, let's just do it. And it's like, look, politically, it's expedient just to vote for it, right? I mean, people want revenge. And I... Bob Menendez, despite sort of the intensity of his personality, in that moment, and this is like repeated throughout his career, could sit back and say, okay, but I looked at everything.
The New Yorker Radio Hour
How Bob Menendez Came By His Gold Bars
I think that puts some pressure on you and causes you some doubts about what you should be earning. I think that does have an impact because you can't really do the things that I think other people can do.