Sen. Robert Menendez is trailed by reporters after attending a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on federal judge nominations on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 4, 2023.
Jonathan Ernst | Reuters
Sen. Bob Menendez faces serious allegations of bribery and acting as a foreign agent for Egypt, as revealed in a recently filed federal indictment. This new indictment adds to the growing list of criminal charges against Menendez, a prominent senator from New Jersey.
The indictment accuses Menendez, along with his wife and accomplices, of knowingly conspiring to act as an agent for the Egyptian government for a period of more than four years. Furthermore, the indictment alleges that Menendez provided sensitive U.S. government information and took additional covert actions to support Egypt’s government.
In exchange for these actions, Menendez and his wife allegedly received thousands of dollars in bribes, benefiting Egypt and others. The bribes reportedly influenced foreign military sales and financing, among other areas.
An alleged meeting at a Washington, D.C., steakhouse involving Sen. Bob Menendez, his wife, and “Egyptian Official-3” is depicted in an image obtained from the Department of Justice. The meeting supposedly aimed to seek assistance from Menendez in countering objections to a company’s monopoly.
Source: Department of Justice
Notably, this is not the first time Menendez has faced corruption charges. Previously, he and his wife were indicted on federal charges related to their alleged “corrupt relationship” with businessmen from their home state, which involved protecting these individuals and serving Egypt’s interests.
A spokesperson for Menendez did not respond to CNBC’s request for comment, and the Egyptian embassy has also remained silent on the matter.
Menendez issued a statement in response to the allegations, vehemently denying any wrongdoing and emphasizing his commitment to championing human rights and democracy in Egypt. He expressed his loyalty to the United States and expressed confidence in his ability to prove his innocence.
Despite calls for his resignation, Menendez has refused to step down from the Senate. Fellow politicians, including New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Sen. Cory Booker, have urged him to resign, while Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has not taken a definitive stance on the matter.
Meanwhile, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania called for Menendez’s expulsion from the Senate, and Rep. Andy Kim of New Jersey, who plans to run for Menendez’s Senate seat, echoed this demand.
An indictment references a meeting that allegedly took place in Sen. Menendez’s office, involving his wife, an Egyptian military official, and other individuals. The discussion reportedly revolved around foreign military financing for Egypt.
Source: Department of Justice
Menendez has yet to announce whether he will formally launch a campaign for reelection. With Democrats holding a narrow majority in the Senate, next year’s election will be highly contested.
It is worth noting that Menendez previously faced federal corruption charges in 2017, which resulted in a mistrial. Despite the legal ordeal, Menendez triumphantly won reelection the following year, declaring it a “Resurrection Day” for his political career.
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