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Senator Bob Menendez is found guilty of corruption

2024-07-16 21:34:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Senator Bob Menendez is found guilty of corruption

Senator Bob Menendez leaving the federal courthouse in Manhattan, July 15, 2024 - New York. Source, AP

Senator Bob Menendez was found guilty by a New York court of accepting bribes, including cash, gold items and a luxury car from three New Jersey businessmen.

During the nine-week trial, prosecutors said the New Jersey Democrat abused the power of his office to shield some people from criminal investigations. He was also accused of helping his associates to enrich themselves, including his wife, through actions that included meetings with Egyptian intelligence officials and helping that country receive millions of dollars in US military aid.

Senator Menendez did not testify, but insisted publicly that he was only doing his duty as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He said the gold bars found in his New Jersey home by the FBI belonged to his wife.

US Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called on Senator Bob Menendez to resign on Tuesday following his guilty plea.

"After being found guilty, Senator Menendez must do what is right for his constituents, the Senate and our country and resign," Mr. Schumer, Democrat of New York, said in a statement.

The guilty plea comes four months before the election and virtually eliminates any hope Senator Menendez had of campaigning for re-election as an independent candidate.

A lawsuit was filed against the senator as well as against two New Jersey businessmen. All three pleaded not guilty. Another businessman pleaded guilty before the trial and testified against Mr. Menendez and the other defendants.

The Senator's wife, Nadine, was also charged, although her trial has been postponed while she recovers from breast cancer surgery.

During the 2022 raid on the Senator's New Jersey home, FBI agents seized nearly $150,000 worth of gold bullion and over $480,000 in cash. Some of the money was hidden in boots and jackets emblazoned with the senator's name.

During closing arguments in court last week, attorneys spent more than 15 hours urging jurors to study the evidence carefully.

Prosecutors cited multiple instances where they said Senator Menendez helped businessmen. They also argued that his efforts to expedite a $99 million helicopter munitions aid to Egypt, along with close communications with senior Egyptian officials, showed that he was serving Egypt's interests as their agent.

Senator Menendez's lawyers insisted that he never took bribes and that the actions he took to help the businessmen were part of the duties expected of a public official. They said he was simply carrying out his duties as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a post he was forced to relinquish after the allegations were made against him.

Senator Menendez announced a few weeks ago that he plans to run for re-election this year as an independent.\ VOA