Embattled Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey is expected to emphatically announce Monday that he is running for 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 arraignment in Manhattan, insisting, “I’m not going anywhere” — despite widespread calls including from top officials in his own party to resign.
The press conference expected on Monday will be his first personal appearance since he and his wife were accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in the form of gold bars, Mercedes-Benz convertibles, cash and even exercise machines and air purifiers. .
Menendez is expected to announce his plans to run again in 2024 — although he would have to run outside the Democratic Party, according to the New Jersey Globe.
The longtime senator will speak in Hudson County, where he grew up and launched his political career nearly 50 years ago, but it remains unclear when and where he will appear, the outlet said.
Menendez is not expected to resign during Monday’s news conference but will reportedly announce plans to seek re-election in 2024.REUTERS
A Mercedes C-class sedan, gold bars and a stack of cash were allegedly given to Menendez as bribes and found at his home by authorities. Steven Hirsch
The senator reportedly asked to speak at Colin Powell Elementary School in Hudson, where he both grew up and served as mayor, but was turned down by school officials who said they didn’t want him to cause disruption during the school day.
His office went so far as to send out invitations citing Colin Powell Elementary as the conference location before being rejected, according to reports.
Menendez did not respond to a request for comment from The Post on Sunday.
Who is involved in the allegations of Senator Bob Menendez
The New Jersey Democrat faces charges of taking gold bullion and bribery and keeping hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash around his home in return 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 are accused of accepting hundreds of thousands in bribes including gold bars worth more than $100,000.
Senators Robert Menendez and Nadine Menendez
The New Jersey Democrat was indicted Friday for allegedly accepting a Mercedes Benz C-Class sedan, 13 gold bars and $566,000 in cash, which FBI agents found “stuffed in an envelope” after a June 2022 search of his home.
Senator Menendez’s wife, Nadine, was charged with her husband for accepting bribes. The Menendeze family also received mortgage payments, recliners, exercise machines and other items in exchange for protecting co-defendants Wael Hana, Jose Uribe and Fred Daibes.
Bob Menendez also allegedly tried to intervene in the criminal case against Daibes by recommending that President Biden select the current US Attorney for New Jersey, Philip Sellinger, who the senator believed would apply a light touch to the cause.
If convicted of all charges, the Democratic senator faces up to 45 years in prison.
Real estate developer Fred Daibes is accused of bribing the senator and his wife with cash and gold bars.AP
Fred Daibes
Menendez and his wife allegedly had a longtime relationship with New Jersey real estate developer Fred Daibes, who, according to court papers, bribed the couple with gold bars and cash for a series of favors, including helping a senator thwart a federal prosecution of Daibes.
Daibes received probation after pleading guilty last year to entering false loan information.
Bob and Nadine Menendez used cash bribes to buy a 2009 Mercedes C-class convertible, authorities said. US District Court
Jose Uribe
In April 2019, Menendez’s wife Nadine met a former insurance agent from Union City, NJ. Jose Uribe “for five minutes.” Nadine pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant where Uribe, 56, handed her $15,000 in cash, court papers allege.
He then used the cash to make a down payment on a Mercedes-Benz C-class convertible — while Uribe asked the senator to interfere with the state attorney general’s prosecution of one of his friends for insurance fraud, according to court documents.
Wael Hana
Menendez allegedly updated unnamed Egyptian officials in real time about US military aid to the country through Edgewater, NJ., businessman Wael Hana. The businessman sent Menendez’s proposal for foreign military sales to Egypt of tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition for guns and tanks to Egyptian officials for approval.
Wael Hana who comes from Egypt is a businessman.
In early 2021 Hana allegedly used funds from her halal business to send 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 US Department of Agriculture official to protect the “exclusive monopoly” Hana was granted in 2019, when signing US food exported to Egypt as complying with halal standards, even though Hana did not have previous experience with halal certification, the feds said.
Both Menendez and his 59-year-old partner Nadine Menendez are accused of accepting bribes in return for using their influence to advance the interests of the Egyptian government and three wealthy businessmen.
Manhattan US Attorney Damian Williams alleged Menendez used his “power and influence” in the scheme and went so far as to push President Joe Biden to appoint New Jersey US Attorney Philip R. Selinger because it was believed he could influence the criminal prosecution of a businessman.
Menendez, who has served in the Senate since 2006, staunchly defended himself against the allegations after they were revealed.
Menedez and his wife Nadine were both charged with bribery by Manhattan US Attorney Damian Williams on Friday.AFP via Getty Images
“Those who believe in justice believe in innocence until proven guilty,” Menendez said in his statement.
“I intend to continue to fight for the people of New Jersey with the same success that I have for the past five decades. This is the same record of success praised by the same leaders over the years,” he said.
He claimed calls for his resignation were racially motivated.
Authorities said they raided the home of Sen. Menendez in June 2022 and discovered a stash of cash and gold bars. Christopher Sadowski
“It’s not lost on me how quickly someone is quick to judge a Latino and push him out of his seat,” he said.
Despite vowing to remain in office, Menendez relinquished his chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) confirmed Friday.
What we know about Bob Menendez’s allegations
New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez is facing federal corruption charges related to the alleged years-long scheme.
Menendez is accused of accepting bribes, including gold bars, in exchange for helping three businessmen, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe and Fred Daibes, and the Egyptian state, according to officials.
Menendez and his wife, Nadine, allegedly accepted hundreds of thousands in 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 an envelope.” Another $70,000 in cash was found in Nadine’s safe.
Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and his wife, Nadine Menendez, have been indicted on federal corruption charges.AP
The feds said Menendez also received mortgage payments and paid for low or absent work 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 taking gifts from Florida eye surgeon Salomon Melgen.
“Gifts” include a vacation to Paris, a flight on a private jet and a holiday at Melgen’s villa in the Dominican Republic.
Menendez is accused of receiving approximately $566,000 in cash bribes as well as 13 gold bars worth $150,000, a $60,000 Mercedes C-class sedan, recliners, exercise machines and air purifiers between 2018 and 2022
When federal agents raided his home in June 2022, they allegedly found large amounts of cash stashed throughout the house.
The senator was previously indicted on bribery and corruption charges in 2017 but stepped down 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 return for obtaining visas for the foreign girlfriend of Florida ophthalmologist Dr. Salomon Melgen.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
