One personal note on ex-Senator Robert Torricelli that you may ignore:
I grew up in New Jersey at a time when Torricelli was my Congressman, before he clawed his way into the "respectable" Senate. My father told me a story that I have no reason whatsoever to disbelieve.

Every Congressman and Senator is allowed to nominate (I think) two young men or women to West Point. My father told me that Torricelli told seven or eight potential nominees that he had supported their entry into the United States Military Academy. Clearly, this was a way to curry favor without feeling any immediate backlash (oh, Johnny didn't get in? I was pulling for him!).

I'll leave it at that. This story may be hearsay - it may be a complete fabrication. But I don't think so. Torricelli was always an opportunistic little bastard who, once he felt safe in his seat, grabbed all the goodies he could. He lied reflexively (remember his outrage at the Kefauver hearings, that ended when he was three DAYS old?) and never failed to find a wedge issue to split factions apart rather than bring people together.

Good riddance to bad garbage.