Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., is set to begin his second federal corruption trial in a decade, with jury selection scheduled to commence in Manhattan federal court. This trial pertains to allegations that Menendez acted to benefit the governments of Egypt and Qatar.
The charges against the 70-year-old New Jersey Democrat and his wife, Nadine Menendez, involve accepting bribes from three wealthy businessmen in exchange for various favors, including meddling in criminal investigations and taking actions benefiting Egypt and Qatar.
Menendez, along with two businessmen, Daibes and Wael Hana, have pleaded not guilty, while Jose Uribe has pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against the other defendants. The trial for Menendez's wife has been delayed due to health reasons.
Despite the charges, Menendez has announced he will not seek reelection on the Democratic ticket this fall, potentially complicating matters for Democrats in the U.S. Senate.
Following the announcement of charges in September, Menendez was removed from his position as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
This is not the first time Menendez has faced legal troubles. In 2015, he was indicted on charges involving a wealthy Florida eye doctor, but the trial ended in a deadlock, and the case was dropped.
In the current case, federal prosecutors allege that Menendez had a stash of gold bars and cash in his home. Despite calls for his resignation, Menendez has remained in the Senate and maintained his innocence.
The senator is facing charges including bribery, extortion, fraud, obstruction of justice, and acting as a foreign agent of Egypt. Menendez denies any wrongdoing and claims he was unaware of certain actions due to his wife's involvement.
The indictment details instances where bribes were exchanged for favorable actions towards Qatar and Egypt. Menendez's defense team plans to argue that his actions were influenced by his family history and financial concerns.
As the trial unfolds, Judge Sidney H. Stein has rejected Menendez's claim of legislative immunity and is yet to rule on other defense strategies.
