Democratic Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey is set to respond to corruption charges in court after being accused of using his influence to accept hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes. Menendez and his wife, along with two co-defendants, will be arraigned on Wednesday. Despite facing pressure from Democratic colleagues to resign, Menendez has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and is expected to plead not guilty. The indictment alleges that investigators found cash, gold bars, mortgage payments, and other valuable items hidden in the couple’s home, with the co-defendants accused of providing the bribes.
The charges against Menendez have caused a significant controversy within the Democratic party, with two dozen of his Senate colleagues calling for his resignation. However, Menendez has maintained his innocence and expressed confidence that he will be exonerated. He claimed that the cash found in his home was drawn from his personal savings account, which he has used for emergencies due to his family’s history of confiscation in Cuba. Menendez’s refusal to step down has led to public confrontations with reporters.
This is not the first time Menendez has faced legal trouble since becoming a senator in 2006. In 2015, he was charged with accepting favors from a Florida eye doctor, but the case ended in a mistrial. Menendez’s situation is unprecedented, as he appears to be the first sitting senator in U.S. history to have been indicted on two unrelated criminal allegations.