Sen. Menendez denies bribery charges.
Senator Bob Menendez Pleads Not Guilty to Bribery Charges
Senator Bob Menendez (R-N.J.) made a dramatic appearance in court on September 27, vehemently pleading not guilty to bribery charges that were leveled against him on September 22.
Amid mounting demands from his colleagues for his resignation from Congress, the New Jersey Democrat and his wife, who are both accused in the case, entered the lower Manhattan courthouse on the morning of September 27 without uttering a word.
Allegations of Bribery and Corruption
On September 22, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York indicted Mr. Menendez and his wife, Nadine Arslanian Menendez, on multiple counts of conspiracy, including bribery, honest services fraud, and extortion under color of law.
According to charge documents obtained by The Epoch Times, Mr. Menendez and his wife allegedly accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, including cash, gold, and contributions toward a mortgage. Authorities even seized gold and cash during a search of the Menendez residence in June 2022.
Despite the charges, Mr. Menendez remains defiant and asserts that the allegations against him are baseless. He firmly believes he will be cleared of all charges and has no intention of leaving the Senate.
This is not the first corruption case Mr. Menendez has faced. In 2017, he stood trial on similar allegations, but the jury failed to reach a verdict.
During a press briefing on September 25, Mr. Menendez stated that the accusations made by prosecutors are completely false. He explained that the money found in his home was personal savings due to his family’s history with communism, and he requested to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
“A cornerstone of the foundation of American democracy and our justice system is the principle that all people are presumed innocent until proven guilty. All people,” Mr. Menendez emphasized to a group of reporters. “I asked for nothing more and deserve nothing less. The court of public opinion is no substitute for our revered justice system.”
Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), who had previously refrained from calling for Mr. Menendez’s resignation, changed his stance on September 27. In a statement posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), Mr. Durbin acknowledged the calls from New Jersey leaders, including the Governor and his Senate colleague Cory Booker, for Mr. Menendez to step down. Mr. Durbin now believes that resignation is necessary.
“This is a very serious charge. There’s no question about it,” Mr. Durbin stated during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “But it’s important to remember that indictments against Donald Trump were equally serious charges that needed to be proven under the rule of law.”
Senator Cory Booker, Mr. Menendez’s fellow senator from New Jersey, released a statement on September 26 expressing his thoughts on his embattled colleague. While praising Mr. Menendez’s qualities, Mr. Booker believes that he should step down from office.
Mr. Booker described Senator Menendez as “intellectually gifted, tough, passionate, and deeply empathic,” and expressed his appreciation for their working relationship and friendship.
“A jury will ultimately decide whether he is criminally guilty,” Mr. Booker stated. “However, there is a higher standard for public officials, one that goes beyond criminal law and focuses on common ideals.
“As senators, we hold the public trust, which is crucial for us to fulfill our duties and serve our constituents.”
Given the nature of the charges, Mr. Booker believes that the people of New Jersey cannot ignore the possibility of Mr. Menendez’s guilt and that his ability to carry out his responsibilities may be compromised.
“Senator Menendez vehemently maintains his innocence, and it is understandable that he views stepping down as fundamentally unfair. However, I believe it is a necessary step. Stepping down does not imply guilt but acknowledges the sacrifices and personal costs that come with holding public office,” Mr. Booker concluded.
Other Senate Democrats, including Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), have also joined the chorus calling for Mr. Menendez’s resignation.
Later on September 26, Senators Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Kristen Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) added their voices to the growing demand for Mr. Menendez to step down.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
How might the outcome of Senator Menendez’s legal battle affect his future in politics
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