For months, the New Jersey senator has been going through trial for conspiracy to commit bribery, accused of buying and selling political energy for wads of money, a luxurious automotive, and gold bars.
A 12-member jury on Tuesday discovered Senator Bob Menendez, 70, responsible on all 16 counts in his federal corruption trial, together with accepting bribes of gold and money from three New Jersey businessmen and appearing as a overseas agent for the Egyptian authorities.
“I’m deeply, deeply disenchanted by the jury’s resolution. I’ve each religion that the legislation and the info is not going to maintain that call and that we’ll achieve success upon enchantment,” Menendez instructed reporters outdoors the courthouse Tuesday. “I’ve by no means violated my public oath.”
Prosecutors mentioned the New Jersey lawmaker abused the facility of his workplace to guard allies from legal investigations and enrich associates, together with his spouse, Nadine Menendez. This concerned acts corresponding to assembly with Egyptian intelligence officers and serving to the nation entry thousands and thousands of {dollars} in U.S. army support.
“All through this trial, you may have heard that everybody is guilty however Menendez,” prosecutor Paul Monteleoni mentioned, accusing the as soon as extremely influential senator of “making an attempt desperately to move the buck.”
On the finish of an almost six-hour closing assertion delivered over two days, the prosecutor repeated the phrase “blaming his spouse” 5 occasions to remind jurors that Menendez’s legal professionals have claimed that Nadine “sidelined” him from the scheme and stashed the gold bars in her secure with out his data.
Menendez, who faces sentencing on October 29, maintained that he has by no means been something “however a patriot of my nation and for my nation.”
“I’ve by no means, ever been a overseas agent, and the choice rendered by the jury in the present day would put in danger each member of the US Senate when it comes to what they suppose a overseas agent could be,” he mentioned.
“His years of promoting his workplace to the very best bidder have lastly come to an finish.”
New York U.S. Lawyer Damian Williams speaks after Sen. Bob Menendez is discovered responsible on all counts in corruption trial. pic.twitter.com/cdrqyr6kbi
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) July 16, 2024
Menendez was searching for reelection to the Senate as an impartial, though the responsible verdicts shortly raised the prospect of an expulsion vote except he opts to resign from workplace. He has already confronted calls to resign from his former Democratic allies in New Jersey and on Capitol Hill.
Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer launched an announcement saying, “Senator Menendez should now do what is correct for his constituents, the Senate, and our nation, and resign.”
Democratic Senator Jack Reed mentioned on X, “He had his day in courtroom and acquired a good trial. The jury has spoken. Senator Menendez has been discovered responsible and may resign.”
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy shared on X, “Right this moment’s verdict[…]demonstrates that the Senator broke the legislation, violated the belief of his constituents, and betrayed his oath of workplace. In America, everybody – regardless of how highly effective – is accountable to our legal guidelines.”
The requires his resignation are the most recent in a collection of comparable appeals, courting again to 2017 when Menendez confronted a separate set of corruption costs.
