Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) on Thursday introduced a resolution that would revoke indicted Sen. Bob Menendez’s (D-N.J.) access to classified briefings and information.
Fetterman, who has already called for his Senate colleague to resign, did not specifically name Menendez in his resolution but referenced some of the crimes the New Jersey Democrat has been accused of and argued that any member facing such accusations should be excluded from certain activities in the upper house.
The resolution would prohibit senators accused of acting as foreign agents, compromising U.S. national security and mishandling classified information from receiving classified information or briefings, serving on committees, submitting spending requests for appropriations bills or use official funds for international travel.
Menendez is accused of conspiring with his wife and an Egyptian-born businessman to secretly work on behalf of the Egyptian government between 2018 and 2022.
Menendez faces up to 50 years in prison if convicted of all charges. Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/Shutterstock
The former head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has been charged with acting as an unregistered foreign agent, conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and conspiracy to commit extortion.
He has pleaded not guilty and vehemently denies the allegations.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told reporters last month that Menendez would not attend a classified briefing on Israel.
The New Jersey Democrat insisted it was his “own decision not to attend.”
However, Menendez attended a classified briefing on Ukraine earlier this week without restrictions.
“The bottom line is that I’m a United States senator, I have my security credentials and an indictment is just that, it’s not proof of anything,” he told reporters after Wednesday’s meeting.
Fetterman was the first Democratic senator to call for Menéndez’s resignation after his accusation.AP
Menéndez on Thursday called Fetterman’s resolution a “publicity stunt.”
“Instead of focusing on generating clickbait, he should channel his efforts toward legislating and delivering results for the people of Pennsylvania,” Menendez told NBC News.
FBI agents who raided Menendez’s Englewood Cliffs home in June 2022 found $566,000 in cash inside windbreaker jackets emblazoned with the senator’s name, more than $150,000 in gold bullion and a 2019 Mercedes C-Class that he and his wife They supposedly bought with a down payment. received as a bribe.
If convicted on all charges, the Democratic senator faces up to 50 years in prison.
Menéndez has rejected calls to resign or not seek re-election next year.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn