Democratic Senator Robert Menendez was found guilty on all charges Tuesday in the sweeping corruption case against him, including bribery, extortion, wire fraud, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy for a public official to act as a foreign agent.
During the trial, prosecutors connected the senator from New Jersey to a scheme in which he accepted payoffs of gold bars, cash, and luxury cars in exchange for political favors for agents of foreign governments, including Egypt and Qatar. Two men who provided Menendez with the bribes — Fred Daibes and Wael Hana — were also found guilty on all counts after the jury deliberated for about 13 hours.
Menendez was convicted of 16 charges in total. “It wasn’t enough for him to be one of the most powerful people in Washington,” prosecutor Paul Monteleoni said in his closing argument. “He also wanted to use it to pile up riches for himself and his wife.” Judge Sidney Stein, who oversaw the roughly two-month trial, stated that the sentencing will take place on October 29.
Menendez is now the seventh-ever sitting senator to be convicted of a crime. But he is the first-ever sitting senator charged with acting as an agent for a foreign government — which he did while serving as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Earlier this year, he announced that he would not run for reelection, though his conviction has already renewed Democratic calls for his resignation. Menendez’s wife, who has also been charged for allegedly taking bribes, will face a trial beginning on August 5. Her trial has been delayed due to her treatment for breast cancer.
Soon after the verdict came in, Representative Andy Kim — who is running to replace Menendez in November — called for his immediate resignation, saying that this was “a sad and somber day for New Jersey and our country.” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also called on Menendez to resign on Tuesday, despite Democrats controlling the Senate 51 to 49. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy also called on the Senate to vote to expel Menendez if he refuses to step down. In a statement outside the courthouse, Menendez said that he “will be successful upon appeal.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
