Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, who once chaired the influential US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has been convicted of acting as a foreign agent for Egypt and numerous corruption charges. The verdict was delivered on Tuesday by a federal jury in New York, concluding a high-profile trial marked by sensational evidence, including 13 gold bars and $480,000 in cash found in the senator’s New Jersey home, alongside a Mercedes Benz gifted to his wife.
Prosecutors presented evidence that Menendez, 70, engaged with Egyptian intelligence officials and expedited military aid worth millions of dollars to Egypt. The conviction brings a dramatic end to Menendez’s 50-year political career, which saw the Cuban immigrant’s son rise to prominent positions in the Senate, where he has served for 18 years.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has called for Menendez’s immediate resignation, urging him to step down before his term concludes at the end of December. Despite the conviction, Menendez announced plans to run for re-election as an independent, maintaining his innocence. “I’ve never been anything but a patriot of my country and for my country,” Menendez declared as he left the courthouse.
Damian Williams, the prosecutor appointed by President Joe Biden, stated, “Now that the jury has convicted Bob Menendez, his years of selling his office to the highest bidder have finally come to an end.” Menendez faced 16 charges, including wire fraud, bribery, and extortion. Alongside him, two businessmen were also convicted of bribing the senator. His wife, Nadine Menendez, was charged in connection with the case, though her trial has been postponed due to her undergoing cancer treatment.
Also Read: One Indian Among Six Killed In Oman, Amid Attack In Mosque
Throughout the trial, defense lawyers attempted to shift the blame onto Nadine, asserting that the gold bars found in their home belonged to her and were kept in her bedroom. They argued that she had financial difficulties unknown to the senator, leading her to accumulate assets. However, the prosecution countered with evidence of communications between the couple, indicating Menendez’s involvement in the schemes.
In a dramatic moment during the trial, Menendez’s sister, Caridad Gonzalez, testified that as Cuban refugees, it was a family tradition to keep cash at home due to the insecurity they had faced. One peculiar narrative that surfaced involved a businessman bribing Menendez to secure a monopoly on certifying US beef exports to Egypt as halal, following the senator’s intervention.
Menendez also faced charges of using his influence to persuade New Jersey prosecutors to dismiss an insurance fraud case against two businessmen, one of whom admitted to bribery and claimed to have gifted the Mercedes Benz to the senator’s wife.
In a related corruption case, Democratic Representative Henry Cuellar and his wife have been charged by the Justice Department in Texas with bribery and money laundering linked to a Mexican bank and an oil and gas company controlled by Azerbaijan.
Also Read: France’s President Emmanuel Macron Accepts PM Gabriel’s Resignation
