In New York, a federal jury on Tuesday convicted New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez of corruption on all 16 counts he faced. The disgraced Democrat, once head of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was found guilty of bribery, wire fraud, extortion, obstruction of justice, conspiracy and acting as a foreign agent for Egypt. This is prosecutor Damian Williams speaking after yesterday’s verdict.
Damian Williams: “This case has always been about shocking levels of corruption, hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in the form of cash, gold bars, a Mercedes-Benz. This wasn’t politics as usual; this was politics for profit. And now that a jury has convicted Bob Menendez, his years of selling his office to the highest bidder have finally come to an end.”
Two Menendez associates, New Jersey businessmen Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, were also found guilty on all counts. Senator Menendez’s wife, Nadine Menendez, was also charged in the corruption schemes but has not yet been tried. Bob Menendez faces years in prison when he is sentenced in October. Eight of his convictions carry possible 20-year sentences.
Democrats are calling on Menendez to resign, which would allow New Jersey’s Democratic Governor Phil Murphy to fill his vacant seat. If Menendez refuses to resign, he could face expulsion by his fellow senators.