Embattled Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey is expected to defiantly announce Monday that he will seek re-election, less than a week after being indicted on explosive corruption charges.
The 69-year-old Democrat issued a statement on Friday, the day of his federal indictment in Manhattan, insisting, “I’m not going anywhere,” despite widespread calls, including from senior officials in his own party, for him to resigned
Monday’s long-awaited news conference would be his first in-person appearance since he and his wife were accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in the form of gold bars, a Mercedes-Benz convertible, cash and even exercise machines and an air purifier. .
Menendez is expected to announce his plans to run for office again in 2024, even if he needs to run outside the Democratic Party, according to the New Jersey Globe.
The veteran senator will speak in Hudson County, where he grew up and launched his political career nearly 50 years ago, but it is still unclear exactly when and where he will appear, the outlet said.
Menendez is not expected to resign during a news conference on Monday, but will reportedly announce plans to seek re-election in 2024.REUTERS
A Mercedes C-class sedan, gold bars and stacks of cash were allegedly given to Menendez as a bribe and authorities found them at his home. Steven Hirsch
The senator reportedly asked to speak at Colin Powell Elementary School in Hudson, where he grew up and was mayor, but was turned away by school officials who said they did not want him to cause a distraction during the school day.
His office even went so far as to send out invitations citing Colin Powell Elementary School as the location of the conference before being rejected, according to reports.
Menendez did not respond to The Post’s requests for comment on Sunday.
Who is involved in the prosecution of Senator Bob Menéndez?
The New Jersey Democrat faces charges of accepting gold bars and bribes and hiding hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash in his home in exchange for using his “power and influence” – including his position as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. – to benefit the Egyptian government and two local businessmen.
Menendez and his wife Nadine Menendez were accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of bribes, including more than $100,000 in gold bullion.
Senator Robert Menéndez and Nadine Menéndez
The New Jersey Democrat was charged Friday with allegedly accepting a Mercedes Benz C-Class sedan, 13 gold bars and $566,000 in cash, which FBI agents found “stuffed in envelopes” after a search of his home in June 2022. .
Senator Menéndez’s wife, Nadine, was accused along with her husband of accepting bribes. The Menendezes also received mortgage payments, a recliner, exercise machines and other items in exchange for protecting co-defendants Wael Hana, José Uribe and Fred Daibes.
Bob Menendez also allegedly attempted to intervene in a criminal case against Daibes by recommending President Biden pick current New Jersey U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger, who the senator said would apply a light touch to the case.
If convicted on all charges, the Democratic senator faces up to 45 years in prison.
Real estate developer Fred Daibes allegedly bribed the senator and his wife with cash and gold bars.
Fred Daibes
Menendez and his wife allegedly had a long-standing relationship with New Jersey real estate developer Fred Daibes, who, according to court documents, bribed the couple with gold bars and cash in exchange for a series of favors, including the senator’s help in stopping a federal prosecution against Daibes.
Daibes received probation after pleading guilty last year to entering false loan information.
Bob and Nadine Menendez used a cash bribe to purchase a 2009 Mercedes C-Class convertible, authorities say. US District Court
Jose Uribe
In April 2019, Menendez’s wife Nadine met a former insurance agent from Union City, New Jersey. José Uribe “for five minutes.” Nadine pulled into a restaurant parking lot where Uribe, 56, handed her $15,000 in cash, court documents allege.
He then used the cash to make a down payment on a Mercedes-Benz C-Class convertible, while Uribe asked the senator to disrupt the state attorney general’s prosecution of one of his colleagues for insurance fraud, according to court documents.
wael hana
Menendez allegedly updated unnamed Egyptian officials in real time about U.S. military aid to the country through businessman Wael Hana of Edgewater, New Jersey. The businessman sent Menendez’s proposal for the foreign military sale to Egypt of tens of thousands of firearms and tank cartridges to an Egyptian official for approval.
Wael Hana, originally from Egypt, is a businessman.
In early 2021, Hana allegedly used funds from her halal business to ship two exercise machines and an air purifier, among other items, to Menendez’s home.
In exchange for these gifts and other alleged bribes, Menendez improperly pressured a U.S. Department of Agriculture official to protect Hana’s “exclusive monopoly,” granted in 2019, by approving U.S. foods exported to Egypt to comply with halal standards, even though Hana had no prior experience with halal certification, the feds said.
Both Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez, 59, are accused of accepting bribes in exchange for using their influence to promote the interests of the Egyptian government and three wealthy businessmen.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams alleged that Menendez used his “power and influence” in the scheme, going so far as to pressure President Joe Biden to appoint a New Jersey federal prosecutor, Philip R. Selinger, because he believed that could influence the criminal prosecution of one of them. of businessmen.
Menendez, who has served in the Senate since 2006, staunchly defended himself against the allegations after they were revealed.
Menendez and his wife Nadine were charged with bribery by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams on Friday. AFP via Getty Images
“Those who believe in justice believe in innocence until proven otherwise,” Menéndez said in his statement.
“I intend to continue fighting for the people of New Jersey with the same success I have had over the past five decades. “This is the same record of success that these same leaders have praised all along,” he stated.
He claimed that calls for his resignation were racially motivated.
Authorities said they raided Senator Menendez’s home in June 2022 and found caches of cash and gold bars. Christopher Sadowski
“It doesn’t escape me how quickly some are quick to judge a Latino and remove him from his seat,” he said.
Despite his promises to remain in office, Menendez stepped aside from his chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) confirmed Friday.
What we know about the Bob Menéndez accusation
New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez faces federal corruption charges related to an alleged multi-year scheme.
Menendez allegedly accepted bribes, including gold bars, in exchange for helping three businessmen, Wael Hana, José Uribe and Fred Daibes, and the country of Egypt, according to officials.
Menendez and his wife, Nadine, were accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of bribes, according to a Manhattan federal indictment.
When the feds raided Menendez’s Englewood Cliffs home in June 2022, they found a 2019 Mercedes C-Class, at least 13 gold bars and $566,000 in cash “stuffed in envelopes.” Another $70,000 in cash was found in Nadine’s safe deposit box.
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and his wife, Nadine Menendez, were indicted on federal corruption charges.AP
The feds say Menendez also received mortgage payments and paid for a low- or no-support job and home furnishings.
This is not the first time the 69-year-old Democrat has faced federal corruption charges. In 2015, Menendez was accused of accepting gifts from Florida eye surgeon Salomon Melgen.
The “gifts” included a vacation to Paris, flights on a private jet, and a vacation to Melgen’s villa in the Dominican Republic.
Menendez allegedly accepted about $566,000 in cash bribes, as well as 13 gold bars worth $150,000, a $60,000 Mercedes C-Class sedan, a recliner, exercise machines and the air purifier between 2018 and 2022.
When federal agents raided his home in June 2022, they allegedly found large amounts of cash hidden throughout the house.
The senator was previously charged with corruption and bribery in 2017, but walked free after a deadlocked jury led to a mistrial.
In that case, he was allegedly given about $1 million in private jet flights, vacations and other gifts in exchange for obtaining visas for the foreign girlfriends of Florida ophthalmologist Dr. Salomon Melgen.
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