New Jersey Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, who resigned Friday as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, though continues to be a senator. He and his wife were indicted Friday in a sweeping bribery case. Federal prosecutors accuse Menendez of accepting bribes in exchange for using his position to increase U.S. military aid to Egypt and to do favors for three New Jersey businessmen, including Wael Hana, an Egyptian American who ran a lucrative business certifying halal meat exports. This is Manhattan Federal Prosecutor Damian Williams.
This is the not the first time Senator Menendez has faced corruption charges. He was indicted in 2015, but the Justice Department ultimately dropped the charges in 2018 after a jury could not reach a verdict. Menendez is facing growing calls to resign, from New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, at least six members of the New Jersey congressional delegation — that’s six congressmembers, not including his own son, who’s a congressmember in New Jersey. Democratic Congressmember Andy Kim has already announced he will run against Menendez. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in New York has called for him to resign. But George Santos, the other indicted congressman, has said he should stay.
— source democracynow.org | Sep 25, 2023