New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez and his wife indicted on bribery charges
Sept. 22, 2023
Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey and his wife have been indicted on charges of bribery.
Federal prosecutors Friday announced the charges against the 69-year-old Democrat nearly six years after an earlier criminal case against him ended with a deadlocked jury. The latest indictment is unrelated to the earlier charges, which alleged that Menendez accepted lavish gifts to pressure government officials on behalf of a Florida doctor.
The Senate Historical Office says Menendez appears to be the first sitting senator in U.S. history to have been indicted on two unrelated criminal allegations.
Lawyers for Menendez and his wife have not responded to messages seeking comment.
In his first indictment, Menendez was accused of using his political influence to help a Florida eye doctor who had lavished gifts and campaign contributions on him.
The new charges follow a years-long investigation that examined, among other things, the dealings of a New Jersey businessman a friend of Menendezs wife who secured sole authorization from the Egyptian government to certify that meat imported into that country meets Islamic dietary requirements. Investigators also asked questions about the Menendez familys interactions with a New Jersey developer.
Menendez is up for reelection next year in a bid to extend his three-decade career in Washington, with Democrats currently holding a narrow majority in the Senate.
