Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) is under a federal criminal investigation, his adviser confirmed Wednesday.
Why it matters: The probe comes five years after the Department of Justice dropped its corruption case against Menendez, who was indicted in 2015 for allegedly offering public favors to a Florida eye doctor in exchange for lavish gifts and flights on a private jet.
- Menendez had said they were old friends and denied the charges. The probe ended in a mistrial in 2017.
Driving the news: The new investigation is broadly similar to the 2017 case but involves a different group of people, according to Semafor, which first reported the probe.
What they're saying: "Senator Menendez is aware of an investigation that was reported on today, however he does not know the scope of the investigation," said Michael Soliman, an adviser to Menendez, in a statement to press after Semafor published its piece.
- "As always, should any official inquiries be made, the Senator is available to provide any assistance that is requested of him or his office."
