Sen. Bob Menendez, the three-term New Jersey Democrat who once chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is scheduled to stand trial on federal bribery and obstruction charges starting Monday.
Two New Jersey businessmen who allegedly traded lavish bribes for Menendez’s political influence will stand trial alongside him, while a third businessman pleaded guilty and Menendez’s wife, Nadine, will stand trial at a later date.
The Democratic senator’s trial will take place just steps away from the Manhattan courthouse, where former President Trump – the Republican Party’s presumptive presidential nominee – is already on trial on charges that he falsified business records to hide a secret payment to a porn actress before of the 2016 elections.
Federal prosecutors accused Menendez and his wife in September of agreeing and accepting “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in bribes in exchange for the senator’s political power, which they say enriched businesspeople and Egypt.
The bribes were allegedly paid in the form of cash, gold, home mortgage payments, a Mercedes-Benz convertible and other lavish gifts.
When federal agents searched the Menendezes’ New Jersey home in June 2022, they said they found more than $480,000 in cash, much of it stuffed into envelopes or hidden in clothing, closets and a safe. They also reportedly found more than $100,000 worth of gold bars.
Several substitute indictments followed, accumulating accusations against the New Jersey Democrat, his wife and the businessmen.
The Menendezes and one of the businessmen, Wael Hana, were in October 2023 accused of conspiring to act as foreign agents for Egypt.
The charges were upgraded in January to allege that the senator accepted gifts from the Qatari government and helped another businessman, Fred Daibes, obtain millions in investment funds from the country.
And in March, prosecutors directly charged Menéndez with bribery, extortion and acting as a foreign agent, an upgrade from conspiracy charges he previously faced.
This latest indictment – filed after the third businessman, José Uribe, pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to commit bribery, obstruction of justice and tax evasion – also recently accused the defendants of conspiring to cover up the alleged bribery scheme while acting as prosecutors. of the US Attorney’s Office. The Southern District of New York’s Office worked on the case.
New allegations that Menendez and his wife falsely characterized their knowledge of the convertible payment and a payment of more than $23,000 that Hana made toward Nadine Menendez’s mortgage also emerged following Uribe’s guilty plea.
As part of the deal, Uribe agreed to testify to the truth if called upon at trial.
Menendez, his wife and the two businessmen have pleaded not guilty to all charges. The New Jersey Democrat has steadfastly maintained his innocence, but said he would not participate in his political party’s primary.
“I am hopeful that my release will occur this summer and allow me to pursue my candidacy as an independent Democrat in the general election,” Menendez said in March.
It is not yet known whether the senator himself will speak out in his own defense. Menendez told CBS News that “it remains to be determined” whether he will testify, but that he plans to attend the trial daily, “subject to the schedule.”
Against the wishes of federal prosecutors, Nadine Menendez’s case was separated from the others and her trial was rescheduled for later this year after her lawyers informed the court that she would undergo a surgical procedure due to a “serious medical condition.” ”.
The New Jersey senator resigned as head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last year after he was first indicted under Democratic Conference rules.
He is one of three congressmen who have faced criminal charges in recent months, in addition to Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) and now-expelled Rep. George Santos (RN.Y.).
Menendez previously faced federal corruption charges in 2015, but they were dropped in 2018 after a jury was unable to reach a verdict.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday morning, and once the jury is seated, opening statements in the senator’s trial will begin.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
