U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) walks to the Senate floor for a procedural vote at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. September 20, 2023.
Jonathan Ernst | Reuters
New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez enlists the services of Abbe Lowell, the same lawyer representing Hunter Biden in his tax and firearm charges, to defend him in his federal bribery case, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the prosecutors.
Abbe Lowell, who has a successful track record with high-profile litigation, has previously defended Menendez against corruption charges in the past.
Lowell was also the attorney for Menendez when he faced charges in 2015 for allegedly accepting illegal gifts from a Florida ophthalmologist. The case eventually reached a deadlock and was dropped due to a hung jury.
In 2022, Lowell successfully defended Matthew Grimes, an employee of former President Donald Trump’s supporter Tom Barrack, who had been accused of secretly acting as a foreign agent for the United Arab Emirates.
Lowell has also represented Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and former advisor, helping him obtain permanent White House security clearance during Trump’s presidency.
The news of Menendez hiring Lowell was first reported by Law360.
Abbe Lowell arrives for the funeral of the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., at the Washington National Cathedral on September 1, 2018.
Tom Williams | Cq-roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images
Neither Lowell nor Sen. Menendez have provided an immediate comment regarding this matter.
Menendez is scheduled to hold a press conference in Hudson County, New Jersey on Monday, where he began his political career. This information comes from a source closely involved with the planning who spoke to NBC News.
On Friday, Menendez and his wife, Nadine, were indicted in Manhattan federal court for using his political influence to benefit the Egyptian government in exchange for illegal gifts amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The senator and his wife are facing three charges, including conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, and conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right. Additionally, three New Jersey businessmen involved in the bribery transactions are also facing charges for the first two counts.
During Monday’s press conference, Menendez is expected to assert that he has no intention of resigning, according to sources involved in planning the event. This follows public calls from various government officials, including fellow Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, urging Menendez to step down.
Menendez has remained defiant, denying all charges and stating, “I am not going anywhere.”
The senator, his wife, and their co-defendants are scheduled to appear in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday morning.
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