By DEEPTI HAJELA and MIKE CATALINI
UNION CITY, N.J. – Democratic U.S. Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey firmly denies federal corruption charges, asserting that the nearly half a million dollars in cash discovered in his home was from personal savings, not bribes, and was intended for emergencies.
Despite mounting calls for his resignation, Menendez, who serves as the influential chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is confident that he will be cleared of allegations that he accepted cash and gold in exchange for assisting Egypt and his business associates in New Jersey.
Speaking at Hudson County Community College’s campus in Union City, Menendez, a native of the area, declared, “I anticipate this will be my toughest battle yet, but I maintain my steadfast belief that when all the evidence is revealed, not only will I be proven innocent, but I will also remain New Jersey’s senior senator.”
Although he did not respond to inquiries and did not disclose whether he intends to run for re-election next year, Menendez addressed the claims in the recently-unsealed indictment, which suggested that the cash found in envelopes and clothing at his home belonged to his parents and resulted from their concerns about asset confiscation during their time in Cuba.
“While this may be seen as antiquated, this money was withdrawn from my personal savings account, derived from my lawful income over the past three decades,” he clarified.
The indictment reveals that authorities discovered approximately 10 envelopes, containing tens of thousands of dollars in cash, with the fingerprints of one of the co-defendants on them.
Menendez also discussed his relationship with Egypt, a key focus of the indictment against him, insisting that his actions toward the country, including holding them accountable for human rights abuses and the detention of Americans, have always been decisive.
He did not directly address the specific allegations in the indictment, which claimed that he met with Egyptian military and intelligence officials, divulged confidential information about U.S. Embassy employees in Cairo, and drafted a letter on behalf of Egypt requesting the release of $300 million in aid from his Senate colleagues.
While the state’s Democratic leaders, including Governor Phil Murphy, state party chairmen, and legislative leaders, as well as some of Menendez’s congressional colleagues, urge him to resign, Democratic allies in Washington, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Majority Whip Dick Durbin, have stopped short of making the same demand.
However, Menendez has already stepped down as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, as required by Schumer, in light of the recent indictment.
If he chooses to seek re-election, Menendez will face at least one primary challenger next year, as Democratic Representative Andy Kim announced his candidacy over the weekend in response to the charges against the state’s senior senator.
In addition to the criminal charges, Menendez’s re-election campaign may face significant obstacles due to opposition from state party leaders. Losing support from the Democratic Party would mean losing the advantage of party support in the primary, particularly in terms of preferred ballot placement, which is widely regarded as a significant benefit for incumbents and candidates with establishment backing.
Menendez vehemently denies any wrongdoing in the federal case against him, his wife, and their three business associates. In a statement last week, he accused prosecutors of distorting the “standard work of a congressional office” and asserted that he will not allow “baseless allegations” to distract him from his Senate duties. Menendez’s wife’s lawyer stated that she “denies any criminal conduct and will vigorously contest these charges in court.”
The indictment accuses Menendez and Nadine Menendez of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, gold, and a luxury car from three New Jersey businessmen in exchange for various corrupt actions.
According to prosecutors, Menendez exploited his influence to interfere in three criminal cases, pressured agricultural regulators to protect the business interests of one of his associates, and used his position as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee to shape U.S. policy regarding Egypt.
In 2022, federal agents discovered over $480,000 in cash concealed in envelopes, clothing, closets, and a safe during a search of Menendez’s home. Additionally, they found gold bars valued at over $100,000, and $70,000 in his wife’s safety deposit box.
Several Menendez supporters were present at the press conference, including Manny Contreras, a resident of nearby Passaic County, who expressed his backing for Menendez and stated that he has voted for him for many years.
“This is a significant issue for the Latino community. We don’t want to see him leave, and we have to give him the benefit of the doubt,” Contreras said.
He added that if Menendez were proven guilty, he would have to rethink his support. However, due to Menendez’s noteworthy accomplishments throughout his long career, Contreras believes it is important to let the legal process unfold.
Catalini reported from Trenton.
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