US Senator for New Jersey Bob Menendez, one of essentially the most recognizable Latino politicians throughout the Democratic Party, was declared guilty on Tuesday by a jury of all 100 bribery and corruption prices (16 in whole) for which he was charged in a New York court docket. The sentence handed down by the decide will likely be introduced on October 29, in line with a press release by Magistrate Sidney Stein.
The prosecution had accused Menendez, 70, and his spouse Nadine of accepting Million-dollar presents from Egypt and Qatar to assist them politically whereas he was in workplace, to the purpose of calling him a “international agent.” The senator by no means wished to succeed in a plea settlement, which might have diminished his sentence, and offered the presents obtained as a pure half of a politician’s exercise.
Menendez, the son of Cuban immigrants, entered the Senate in 2006 and from there grew to become one of the politicians most recognized with Latin causes, rising to prominence as an advocate for immigrants. He had risen to turn out to be chairman of the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a submit he was pressured to depart when critical prices towards him grew to become recognized, together with funds in gold bullion and luxurious vehicles from middlemen working for Egypt and Qatar.
However, he didn’t resign from his seat in a Senate the place his get together has 50 of 100 seats and the place he solely retains a majority because of the tie-breaking vote of US Vice President Kamala Harris, who constitutionally can be the speaker of the chamber. His conviction and certain disqualification might complicate issues for the Democratic Party in an more and more troublesome political state of affairs.
(*16*) Menendez’s spouse, Nadine (whom he married in 2020), was additionally charged alongside him, her trial was postponed indefinitely for well being causes. This was not the primary time that Menéndez was accused of corruption.In 2015, he was accused of accepting marketing campaign funds from a rich Florida ophthalmologist.
