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Re: Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez indicted again for corruption, allegedly had cash stuffed in coat, gold bars
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Blowjob Czar Kamala Harris
Sep 22, 2023, 11:30:02 PM9/22/23
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In article <ueiu9n$3pbnq$5...@dont-email.me>
A federal grand jury in New York has returned a sweeping indictment
against United States Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., chairman of the
powerful Foreign Relations Committee, in connection with improper
foreign relations and business dealings.
The investigation focused on a luxury car, gold bars and an
apartment allegedly received by Menendez and his wife, Nadine
Arslanian. His wife was also indicted.
The indictment charges Menendez, 69, and his wife with having a
corrupt relationship with three New Jersey businessmen -- Wael Hana,
Jose Uribe and Fred Daides.
The indictment accuses Menendez and his wife of accepting hundreds
of thousands of dollars of bribes in exchange for using the
senator's power and influence to seek to protect and enrich the
businessman.
"Those bribes included cash, gold, payments toward a home mortgage,
compensation for a low-or-no-show job, a luxury vehicle, and other
things of value," the indictment said.
This is the second time New Jersey's senior senator has been charged
with corruption. A 2015 indictment ended in a mistrial in 2018 after
a jury failed to reach a verdict on all counts and a judge acquitted
him on some charges.
The previous charges against Menendez centered on his relationship
with Florida eye doctor Solomon Melgen, a close ally of the senator.
Menendez allegedly accepted gifts from Melgen in exchange for using
the power of his senate office to benefit the doctor's financial and
personal interests.
Sen. Chuck Schumer announced Menendez has stepped down as the
chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Rules
for the Senate Democratic caucus say that any member who is charged
with a felony must step aside from a leadership position. However,
according to a person close to Menendez, the senator will not
resign. Menendez is facing reelection next year.
"For years, forces behind the scenes have repeatedly attempted to
silence my voice and dig my political grave," Menendez said in a
statement about the indictment. "Since this investigation was leaked
nearly a year ago, there has been an active smear campaign of
anonymous sources and innuendos to create an air of impropriety
where none exists."
He continued, "I have been falsely accused before because I refused
to back down to the powers that be and the people of New Jersey were
able to see through the smoke and mirrors and recognize I was
innocent."
Danny Onorato, a lawyer representing Nadine Menendez, said in a
statement to ABC News, "Mrs. Menendez denies any wrongdoing and will
vigorously defend against these allegations in court."
In June 2022, federal agents searched Menendez's New Jersey home and
found "fruits" of the pair's "corrupt bribery agreement" with the
three businessmen, according to the indictment. Investigators found
over $480,000 in cash, some stuffed in envelopes and hidden in
clothing, as well as $70,000 in Nadine Menendez's safe deposit box.
Also found in the home were over $100,000 worth of gold bars,
"provided by either Hana or Daibes," according to the indictment.
Menendez allegedly gave sensitive U.S. government information "that
secretly aided the Government of Egypt" and "improperly advised and
pressured" a U.S. agricultural official to protect an exclusive
contract for Hana to be the exclusive purveyor of halal meat to
Egypt, according to the indictment.
Menendez also tried to disrupt a criminal investigation into a
second businessman in the trucking industry that had been undertaken
by the New Jersey attorney general, the indictment said.
The senator is also accused of recommending someone to the president
to be the U.S. attorney in New Jersey who he thought he could
influence. Philip Sellinger was ultimately confirmed to the post. He
recused himself from the investigation and has not been accused of
wrongdoing.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office said, "U.S. Attorney
Sellinger was recused from the Daibes matter and all activity by the
office related to that matter was handled appropriately according to
the principles of federal prosecution."
"They wrote these charges as they wanted; the facts are not as
presented," Menendez said in his statement. "Prosecutors did that
the last time and look what a trial demonstrates. People should
remember that before accepting the prosecutor's version."
Menendez appears to be the first senator to ever be indicted on two
unrelated criminal charges while in office, according to the Senate
Historical Office.
"The FBI has made investigating public corruption a top priority
since our founding -- nothing has changed," FBI Assistant Director
in Charge James Smith said in a statement. "The alleged conduct in
this conspiracy damages the public's faith in our system of
government and brings undue scorn to the honest and dedicated public
servants who carry out their duties on a daily basis."
Daibes, also named as a defendant, ultimately pleaded guilty last
year in New Jersey to separate charges and is awaiting sentencing.
A spokesperson for Hana also rejected the claims in the indictment,
saying, "We are still reviewing the charges but based upon our
initial review, they have absolutely no merit. Mr. Hana is expected
to voluntarily return to the U.S. from Egypt and appear in court on
Wednesday."
New Jersey Dems called on on Senator Menendez to resign on Friday,
with Gov. Phil Murphy releasing a statement, "The allegations in the
indictment against Senator Menendez and four other defendants are
deeply disturbing. These are serious charges that implicate national
security and the integrity of our criminal justice system. I am
calling for his immediate resignation."
Senate President Nick Scutari reiterated Gov. Murphy's call for
Senator Menendez to resign, with Sacutari issuing a statement, "The
allegations laid out in today's indictment are alarming, and they
raise serious questions about the Senator's ability to continue to
serve."
Scutari continued, "I strongly believe that all Americans deserve
the presumption of innocence and the ability to fully defend
themselves. Due to the severity of the charges brought against him
today, I believe Senator Menendez must resign from office to pursue
his defense and allow our state and our nation to move forward."
Sen. Menendez, however, defied those calls in a statement released
later Friday where he proclaimed, "I am not going anywhere."
"Those who believe in justice believe in innocence until proven
guilty. I intend to continue to fight for the people of New Jersey
with the same success I've had for the past five decades. This is
the same record of success these very same leaders have lauded all
along. It is not lost on me how quickly some are rushing to judge a
Latino and push him out of his seat," he said.
All five individuals are due in Manhattan federal court on Sept. 27.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/sen-bob-menendez-indicted-gifts-
gold-bars-car/story?id=103407936
A federal grand jury in New York has returned a sweeping indictment
against United States Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., chairman of the
powerful Foreign Relations Committee, in connection with improper
foreign relations and business dealings.
The investigation focused on a luxury car, gold bars and an
apartment allegedly received by Menendez and his wife, Nadine
Arslanian. His wife was also indicted.
The indictment charges Menendez, 69, and his wife with having a
corrupt relationship with three New Jersey businessmen -- Wael Hana,
Jose Uribe and Fred Daides.
The indictment accuses Menendez and his wife of accepting hundreds
of thousands of dollars of bribes in exchange for using the
senator's power and influence to seek to protect and enrich the
businessman.
"Those bribes included cash, gold, payments toward a home mortgage,
compensation for a low-or-no-show job, a luxury vehicle, and other
things of value," the indictment said.
This is the second time New Jersey's senior senator has been charged
with corruption. A 2015 indictment ended in a mistrial in 2018 after
a jury failed to reach a verdict on all counts and a judge acquitted
him on some charges.
The previous charges against Menendez centered on his relationship
with Florida eye doctor Solomon Melgen, a close ally of the senator.
Menendez allegedly accepted gifts from Melgen in exchange for using
the power of his senate office to benefit the doctor's financial and
personal interests.
Sen. Chuck Schumer announced Menendez has stepped down as the
chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Rules
for the Senate Democratic caucus say that any member who is charged
with a felony must step aside from a leadership position. However,
according to a person close to Menendez, the senator will not
resign. Menendez is facing reelection next year.
"For years, forces behind the scenes have repeatedly attempted to
silence my voice and dig my political grave," Menendez said in a
statement about the indictment. "Since this investigation was leaked
nearly a year ago, there has been an active smear campaign of
anonymous sources and innuendos to create an air of impropriety
where none exists."
He continued, "I have been falsely accused before because I refused
to back down to the powers that be and the people of New Jersey were
able to see through the smoke and mirrors and recognize I was
innocent."
Danny Onorato, a lawyer representing Nadine Menendez, said in a
statement to ABC News, "Mrs. Menendez denies any wrongdoing and will
vigorously defend against these allegations in court."
In June 2022, federal agents searched Menendez's New Jersey home and
found "fruits" of the pair's "corrupt bribery agreement" with the
three businessmen, according to the indictment. Investigators found
over $480,000 in cash, some stuffed in envelopes and hidden in
clothing, as well as $70,000 in Nadine Menendez's safe deposit box.
Also found in the home were over $100,000 worth of gold bars,
"provided by either Hana or Daibes," according to the indictment.
Menendez allegedly gave sensitive U.S. government information "that
secretly aided the Government of Egypt" and "improperly advised and
pressured" a U.S. agricultural official to protect an exclusive
contract for Hana to be the exclusive purveyor of halal meat to
Egypt, according to the indictment.
Menendez also tried to disrupt a criminal investigation into a
second businessman in the trucking industry that had been undertaken
by the New Jersey attorney general, the indictment said.
The senator is also accused of recommending someone to the president
to be the U.S. attorney in New Jersey who he thought he could
influence. Philip Sellinger was ultimately confirmed to the post. He
recused himself from the investigation and has not been accused of
wrongdoing.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office said, "U.S. Attorney
Sellinger was recused from the Daibes matter and all activity by the
office related to that matter was handled appropriately according to
the principles of federal prosecution."
"They wrote these charges as they wanted; the facts are not as
presented," Menendez said in his statement. "Prosecutors did that
the last time and look what a trial demonstrates. People should
remember that before accepting the prosecutor's version."
Menendez appears to be the first senator to ever be indicted on two
unrelated criminal charges while in office, according to the Senate
Historical Office.
"The FBI has made investigating public corruption a top priority
since our founding -- nothing has changed," FBI Assistant Director
in Charge James Smith said in a statement. "The alleged conduct in
this conspiracy damages the public's faith in our system of
government and brings undue scorn to the honest and dedicated public
servants who carry out their duties on a daily basis."
Daibes, also named as a defendant, ultimately pleaded guilty last
year in New Jersey to separate charges and is awaiting sentencing.
A spokesperson for Hana also rejected the claims in the indictment,
saying, "We are still reviewing the charges but based upon our
initial review, they have absolutely no merit. Mr. Hana is expected
to voluntarily return to the U.S. from Egypt and appear in court on
Wednesday."
New Jersey Dems called on on Senator Menendez to resign on Friday,
with Gov. Phil Murphy releasing a statement, "The allegations in the
indictment against Senator Menendez and four other defendants are
deeply disturbing. These are serious charges that implicate national
security and the integrity of our criminal justice system. I am
calling for his immediate resignation."
Senate President Nick Scutari reiterated Gov. Murphy's call for
Senator Menendez to resign, with Sacutari issuing a statement, "The
allegations laid out in today's indictment are alarming, and they
raise serious questions about the Senator's ability to continue to
serve."
Scutari continued, "I strongly believe that all Americans deserve
the presumption of innocence and the ability to fully defend
themselves. Due to the severity of the charges brought against him
today, I believe Senator Menendez must resign from office to pursue
his defense and allow our state and our nation to move forward."
Sen. Menendez, however, defied those calls in a statement released
later Friday where he proclaimed, "I am not going anywhere."
"Those who believe in justice believe in innocence until proven
guilty. I intend to continue to fight for the people of New Jersey
with the same success I've had for the past five decades. This is
the same record of success these very same leaders have lauded all
along. It is not lost on me how quickly some are rushing to judge a
Latino and push him out of his seat," he said.
All five individuals are due in Manhattan federal court on Sept. 27.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/sen-bob-menendez-indicted-gifts-
gold-bars-car/story?id=103407936
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