Sen. Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey). AP/Julio Cortez It didn't take long for conservatives to link the corruption charges the Department of Justice reportedly plans to file against Sen. Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey) to his outspoken criticism of President Barack Obama's negotiations with Iran.

Menendez, one of the most prominent Democratic foreign policy hawks in Congress, has repeatedly questioned the Obama administration's attempt to get Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions in exchange for rolling back sanctions.

The senator has denied any wrongdoing and the reported charges don't have anything to do with Iran. They involve Menendez's relationship with a friend and donor. But for some observers, the timing feels like no coincidence. Menendez is the lead Democratic sponsor of legislation designed to rein in Obama's ability to strike a deal with Iran without consulting the Senate. And the deadline for the negotiations is March 24 — just a couple weeks away.

At the top of The Drudge Report, a prominent conservative news site, one headline noted Menendez is the "Top Critic of Obama Iran Deal." Another headline recalled the January Senate hearing where Menendez claimed the White House's talking points sound like they come "straight out of Tehran."

The political writer Michael Goldfarb wrote on Twitter that he was skeptical of the timing of the reported charges:

Others, including some relatively prominent political voices, also drew a possible connection between the Iran deal and the reported allegations:

—Matthew RJ Brodsky (@RJBrodsky) March 6, 2015