Since 2006, Bob Menendez has served as a New Jersey senator, despite situations in which his morals have been questioned. For instance, in 2015, Menendez was first charged with corruption; however, the outcome was a mistrial. Surrounding the charge, it was found that Menendez was accepting gifts from an eye doctor in Florida in exchange for Menendez using his seat to help benefit the doctor financially. Now, he has been charged with counts of bribery and extortion, and has been charged with his wife. In regards to the charges, Bob Menendez has been accused of having a deceitful relationship with 3 New Jersey businessmen. Despite his “not guilty” plea, his trial will be separate from his wife’s trial. Even with the sufficient evidence already found against him, Menendez has only stepped down as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and declared that he plans to run again in November, but as an independent.
First starting in June of 2022, Bob Menendez had his and his wife’s house searched by federal agents, which led to the findings of $550,000 in cash, which was found in places throughout his house and gold bars which were valued at $100,000. From this, he was charged with bribery and extortion as these were payments meant to have Menendez influence policies to benefit the government of Egypt. He also attempted to interfere with 2 different criminal investigations surrounding Uribe Daibes. With continuous evidence, one being gaining expensive watches in exchange for his promotion regarding Qatar, he currently faces 16 charges.
Despite the evidence and charges, Bob Menendez continues to protest his innocence. Not only that, but he has also claimed that the continuous charges that the federal prosecutors are bringing forward have the intention of messing with the jury pool in order to convict him based on their wants. According to abcnews.go.com, Menendez declared, “They show a picture of watches but not proof of receiving any such gifts.” Senator Menendez claims that it’s rather the federal prosecutors who are abusing power. To follow his claims, he states that the abundance of money found in his home was simply his own withdrawals, as a way to deny any wrongdoing.
Furthermore, one of the 3 New Jersey businessmen have come forward on a plea deal, allowing him to come out with the truth, that he had given the couple a car in exchange for cooperation with Senator Menendez. As a result, the businessman was charged with 7 counts of bribery. The other 2 New Jersey businessmen have yet to plead guilty on the charges and will be tried alongside Senator Menendez. His wife, however, will not be seen on trial until July of this year, as a result of a medical condition that she has.
But, in light of the guilty plea, Menendez, according to court documents, plans to blame his wife for all wrongdoing and claim he was never aware of her illegal affairs, which he will do on the stand. His trial just began last week.
Deliso, Meredith, and Aaron Katersky. “Sen. Bob Menendez bribery case: What to know as trial starts.” ABC News, 13 May 2024, https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/sen-bob-menendez-bribery-trial-what-to-know/story?id=110115264. Accessed 14 May 2024.
Breeley Moll, Rogers, 10th Grade, Instagram- @breeley0212
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