Democratic Senator Bob Menendez found guilty in corruption trial
The federal corruption trial of Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., along with his business associates, Fred Daibes and Wael Hana, ended with a guilty verdict on all charges after a grueling nine-week trial in Manhattan.
Menendez, who pleaded not guilty to federal charges of accepting bribes in exchange for assisting foreign governments, was convicted on all 16 counts. The possible sentence Menendez faces exceeds 200 years in prison, although such a severe penalty is unlikely.
The sentencing date for the senator was set for Oct. 29. Despite widespread calls for his resignation, Menendez has refused to step down and plans to appeal the verdict, as stated by his attorneys.
Expressing his disappointment with the decision, Menendez maintained his innocence, claiming he never went against his public oath and was never a foreign agent.
Following the verdict, prosecutors held a press conference outside the courtroom, emphasizing that the case was about corruption at unprecedented levels, describing it as politics for profit rather than politics as usual.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy called on Menendez to resign in response to the guilty verdict, signaling the political pressure the senator faced following the trial.
In his closing argument that lasted five hours, federal prosecutor Paul Monteleoni urged jurors to hold Menendez accountable for the alleged misconduct, emphasizing the scale of corruption involved.
The trial presented evidence in the form of emails, text messages, and FBI testimonies, showing that Menendez received lavish gifts from foreign governments, including gold bars worth over $100,000 and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash hidden in his home.
Menendez faced a total of 18 charges related to a bribery scheme involving the governments of Egypt and Qatar, with additional allegations of acting as a foreign agent and accepting bribes for the Egyptian government’s benefit.
The charges against Menendez and his co-defendants, including his wife Nadine, stemmed from an indictment that implicated them in conspiracy, bribery, acting as a foreign agent, extortion, and wire fraud.
The trial, which began in 2023, saw one of Menendez’s co-defendants, Jose Uribe, accepting a plea deal and cooperating with prosecutors, leading to the unveiling of more charges against the senator and his associates.
Despite the guilty verdict and mounting pressure to resign, Menendez stands firm in his decision to appeal the verdict, setting the stage for further legal battles in the aftermath of the corruption trial.
