Sen. Bob Menendez found guilty on all counts, including acting as foreign agent, in federal corruption trial

Sen. Bob Menendez was discovered responsible on all counts Tuesday in his federal corruption trial.

Federal prosecutors in New York alleged the New Jersey Democrat accepted tons of of 1000’s of {dollars} in bribes within the type of money, gold bars, mortgage funds and extra in alternate for the senator’s political clout. Three New Jersey businessmen who had been additionally charged, together with the governments of Egypt and Qatar, had been the alleged recipients. Two of these co-defendants, Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, had been additionally convicted of all counts they confronted.

The jury deliberated for about 13 hours over three days.

‘I’ve by no means, ever been a international agent,’ Menendez says

Menendez pleaded not responsible to 16 federal costs together with bribery, fraud, appearing as a international agent and obstruction. He mentioned he plans to attraction his conviction and is “deeply upset” by the jury’s determination.

“I’ve by no means violated my oath,” he mentioned outdoors the courthouse Tuesday. “I’ve by no means been something however a patriot of my nation and for my nation. I’ve by no means, ever been a international agent.”

He added that the jury’s determination would “put in danger each member of the US Senate by way of what they suppose a international agent can be.”

Menendez didn’t reply to questions on whether or not he’ll resign.

He might be sentenced on Oct. 29 and faces a long time in jail.

Calls to resign

Menendez is just not required to resign regardless of his conviction, although might be expelled.

Majority Chief Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., known as for his resignation instantly after the decision.

“In mild of this responsible verdict, Senator Menendez should now do what is true for his constituents, the Senate, and our nation, and resign,” he mentioned.

Sen. Cory Booker, Menendez’s New Jersey counterpart, and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy joined within the requires his speedy resignation. If the senator refuses to vacate his workplace, Murphy mentioned he’ll name on the U.S. Senate to expel him.

The Senate Ethics Committee mentioned it should “promptly” full the investigation into Menendez’s conduct that it undertook when the allegations in opposition to him first surfaced.

The committee mentioned it should contemplate the “full vary of disciplinary actions out there below the Guidelines of Process,” which embrace expulsion and censure.

He’s not required to resign regardless of his conviction, although might be expelled.

‘Stunning ranges of corruption’

U.S. Lawyer Damian Williams, whose workplace prosecuted the case, mentioned following the decision that this “has all the time been about stunning ranges of corruption.”

“Tons of of 1000’s of {dollars} of bribes, together with gold, money, and a Mercedes-Benz. This wasn’t politics as traditional; this was politics for revenue,” Williams mentioned in a press release. “As a result of Senator Menendez has now been discovered responsible, his years of promoting his workplace to the best bidder have lastly come to an finish. Corruption is not costless: it erodes public belief, and it undermines the rule of legislation. That is why we’re so dedicated to combating it, no matter political get together.”

Prosecutors claimed Menendez, 70, “put his energy up on the market” in alternate for the gold, envelopes full of cash, checks to his spouse for a no-show job and a Mercedes-Benz convertible. The FBI discovered gold bars and greater than $400,000 in money stashed in locations together with jackets and footwear all through his dwelling, prosecutors mentioned.

“It wasn’t sufficient for him to be some of the highly effective individuals in Washington,” federal prosecutor Paul Monteleoni mentioned throughout his closing argument on July 8. “Robert Menendez wished all that energy and he additionally wished to make use of it to pile up riches for himself and his spouse.”

Protection derided DOJ’s case as ‘cherry-picked nonsense’

The protection, in the meantime, maintained that the entire actions within the indictment fell throughout the scope of Menendez’s place and that prosecutors did not show he took any bribes.

Throughout his closing argument, protection legal professional Adam Charge mocked the federal government’s case as “cherry-picked nonsense” and accused prosecutors of “fudging” the details.

“The one sincere verdict I submit right here is to acquit him on every rely,” Charge instructed the jury on July 9. “His actions had been lawful, regular and good for the nation.”

Menendez declined to testify in his personal protection. Whereas leaving court docket after the protection rested its case on July 3, he instructed reporters, “From my perspective, the federal government has did not show each side of its case.”

He mentioned he anticipated his attorneys to current a “convincing and highly effective summation” and that the jury would discover him not responsible.

New Jersey businessmen, Menendez’s spouse charged in case

Prosecutors instructed the jury that Menendez promised to make use of his energy to assist Egypt. Based on the indictment, the association was brokered by Hana, a New Jersey businessman and buddy of Menendez’s spouse, Nadine, who prosecutors mentioned acquired the senator’s assist preserving a halal meat monopoly.

Menendez was additionally accused of receiving a $60,000 Mercedes-Benz convertible in alternate for assist disrupting a case by the New Jersey Lawyer Normal’s Workplace.

Prosecutors mentioned that within the spring of 2019, one other New Jersey businessman, Jose Uribe, who pleaded responsible within the case, handed Nadine $15,000 in money that she used as a down fee for the automobile. She texted Menendez, “Congratulations. We’re the proud house owners of a 2019 Mercedes,” in line with prosecutors. Uribe saved making the month-to-month funds, prosecutors mentioned.

Prosecutors claimed the senator promised a 3rd businessman, Daibes, that he would intervene with Daibes’ federal prosecution and assist the federal government of Qatar by supporting a Senate decision praising the nation.

Daibes’ fingerprints had been discovered on the envelopes of money discovered at Menendez’s dwelling and serial numbers on the gold bars traced them to Daibes and Hana, in line with prosecutors.

Through the two months of testimony, jurors heard his sister clarify why Menendez was caught with wads of money stuffed into his embroidered congressional jacket: “It is a Cuban factor,” Caridad Gonzalez mentioned.

The protection additionally instructed jurors that Menendez and his spouse, who has additionally been charged within the case, led separate lives and she or he had monetary considerations that she saved from her husband.

Daibes and Hana pleaded not responsible to their costs. Uribe pleaded responsible and testified in opposition to the three defendants in the course of the trial.

Menendez’s spouse has pleaded not responsible to her costs and might be tried individually in August as a consequence of a medical situation. She is battling Grade 3 breast most cancers, the senator revealed in mid-Could originally of the trial.

2nd corruption case in opposition to Menendez

Menendez, who has served as senator for New Jersey since 2006, is the primary sitting member of Congress to be charged with conspiracy by a public official to behave as a international agent.

In June, he filed a petition to get on the U.S. Senate poll in New Jersey as an impartial candidate.

He refused to resign, although he did step down because the chairman of the highly effective Senate International Relations Committee following the preliminary indictment in September 2023.

This marked the second time the senator was charged with corruption. A 2015 indictment led to a mistrial in 2018 after a jury failed to succeed in a verdict on all counts.