U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., has been found guilty on 16 charges related to corruption. He’s now facing the possibility of serving decades in prison.
A jury found the former chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee guilty Tuesday on all 16 counts that he faced, which included bribery, wire fraud, acting as a foreign agent for Egypt, extortion, and obstruction of justice.
In addition to Menendez, 40-year-old Wael Hana of Edgewater, New Jersey, and 66-year-old Fred Daibes of Edgewater, New Jersey, were also convicted by the jury of assorted charges.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams released a statement shortly after the verdict was released, saying that the corruption trial was “about shocking levels of corruption” and “politics for profit.”
“Hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes, including gold, cash, and a Mercedes-Benz,” Williams stated. “Because Senator Menendez has now been found guilty, his years of selling his office to the highest bidder have finally come to an end.”
“Corruption isn’t costless: it erodes public trust, and it undermines the rule of law. That’s why we’re so committed to fighting it, regardless of political party.”
Sentencing for the three men is scheduled for Oct. 29. For his part, Menendez plans to appeal the decision, according to The Hill, with the senator claiming that “I have never violated my public oath.”
“I have never been anything but a patriot of my country and for my country. I have never, ever been a foreign agent,” Menendez said outside the courthouse, as reported by The Hill.
Last year, federal prosecutors accused Menendez and his wife of taking large bribes in the form of cash and gifts from Hana, Daibes, and a third businessman who pled guilty before the trial began, with authorities arguing that the businessmen profited from Menendez’s influence.
Amid the legal proceedings, multiple Democrat members of Congress have called on Menendez to resign, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
“As Leader Schumer appropriately said, Senator Menendez should do what is right for his constituents, the Senate, and our country, and resign,” stated Durbin after the verdict was released.
Last month, Menendez announced on his Facebook page that he had enough signatures to run for reelection to his Senate seat, doing so as an “independent Democrat” candidate.
“It displeases me to have to go this route, thanks to overzealous prosecutors, but I will do what must be done to continue to uphold my oath of office for my constituents,” he said.
“Despite what is portrayed in the press, my innocence continues to be laid out in court. As I have said before; I have committed no crime. I am more confident than ever that New Jerseyans and the rest of the American public will see me exonerated of what I am being accused of, and I will be reelected to the Senate once again.”
Source: Democrat Sen. Bob Menendez found guilty on all charges Politics