Topline
Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., pleaded not guilty Monday morning to charges of obstruction of justice stemming from a new indictment against him, his wife and two businessmen related to the allegations of bribery and corruption he already faces.
U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (center right), D-N.J., leaves the Manhattan Federal Court in New York City … [+]
Key Facts
The superseding indictment filed against Menendez last week had 12 charges, including bribery and extortion in addition to obstruction of justice, and charged his wife, Nadine Menendez, who also pleaded not guilty Monday, according to multiple reports.
Last week’s indictment alleged the congressman and his wife made their lawyers make “false and misleading statements” to prosecutors about loan and car payments that prosecutors allege were actually bribes.
The new charges followed past indictments against Menendez alleging he acted as a foreign agent of the Egyptian government and allegedly maintained a “corrupt relationship” with the New Jersey businessmen.
What To Watch For
Menendez’s trial, which is scheduled to begin May 6. Menendez requested to delay the trial because of the revised indictment, but the request was rejected by a U.S. district judge, Bloomberg reported.
Key Background
Menendez and his wife were indicted and charged last September with conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right and conspiracy to commit honest services fraud. In October, prosecutors filed the first superseding indictment, accusing him of acting as a foreign agent. Then, in January, Menendez was hit with a second superseding indictment that alleged he made positive comments about Qatar in exchange for money given to a New Jersey business. He is also alleged to have connected a member of the Qatari royal family with a New Jersey developer and one of his co-defendants. Menendez continues to maintain his innocence and says he will not leave office. But, after the original charges were brought in September, he temporarily stepped down from his role as the chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee.
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