Current:Home > MarketsSen. Bob Menendez pleads not guilty to latest federal corruption charges-InfoLens
Sen. Bob Menendez pleads not guilty to latest federal corruption charges
View Date:2024-12-23 20:20:51
NEW YORK -- New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez was back in federal court in Lower Manhattan on Monday afternoon after the indictment against him was rewritten to add an additional charge.
Menendez said nothing as he walked into court. The 69-year-old stood and answered the judge's questions and told him he was pleading "not guilty, your honor."
READ MORE: Sen. Chuck Schumer says he's had "serious discussions" with Sen. Bob Menendez about federal charges
The longtime senator, his wife, Nadine Menendez, and Egyptian-American businessman Wael Hana are accused of conspiring to have Sen. Menendez act as an agent of the Egyptian government while he chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Sen. Menendez has since stepped down from that role leading the committee.
READ MORE: New Jersey attorney general's office looking into deadly 2018 car crash involving Nadine Menendez, wife of Sen. Bob Menendez
Nadine Menendez and Hana entered not guilty pleas to the superseding indictment last week, but Sen. Menendez was allowed to delay his arraignment due to Senate obligations.
Among the allegations, he's accused of passing non-public, highly sensitive information to the Egyptians about the staff at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, allegedly texting it to Nadine Menendez, who forwarded it to Hana, who then sent it to an Egyptian government official.
Sen. Menendez is also accused of ghostwriting a letter on behalf of Egypt, "lobbying other U.S. senators to support U.S. aid to Egypt."
READ MORE: Sen. Bob Menendez holds high-stakes meeting with fellow senate Democrats
Prosecutors say the senator and his wife accepted bribes that included gold bars, cash and a luxury car from three New Jersey businessmen in exchange for official acts.
Last month, Sen. Menendez pleaded not guilty to federal bribery and other charges and was released on $100,000 bond.
The other defendants also pleaded not guilty.
On his way out of court Monday afternoon, there was again silence from Sen. Menendez as reporters asked questions.
However, the senator later released a statement to CBS New York, saying:
"The government's latest charge flies in the face of my long record of standing up for human rights and democracy in Egypt and in challenging leaders of that country, including President El-Sisi on these issues. Anyone who knows my record, knows this latest charge is as outrageous as it is absurd.
"I have been, throughout my life, loyal to only one country -- the United States of America, the land my family chose to live in democracy and freedom.
"The facts haven't changed. The government is engaged in primitive hunting, by which the predator chases its prey until it's exhausted and then kills it. This tactic won't work.
"I will not litigate this case through the press, but have made it abundantly clear that I have done nothing wrong and once all the facts are presented will be found innocent."
More than 30 Democrats have called on Sen. Menendez to resign. He maintains his innocence.
The latest charges have a penalty of up to five years in prison. Federal law prohibits Sen. Menendez, as a public official, from serving as a foreign agent.
- In:
- Bob Menendez
- United States Senate
- Robert Menendez
- Egypt
Alice Gainer joined CBS2 as a reporter and anchor in January 2013. She covers breaking, feature and general assignment stories.
Twitter FacebookveryGood! (48581)
Related
- COINIXIAI Introduce
- 'Is that your hair?' Tennessee woman sets Guinness World Record for longest mullet
- When do new 'Simpsons' episodes come out? Season 35 release date, cast, how to watch
- Shake Shack launches new 'Hot Menu' featuring hot chicken sandwich, spicy burger
- 'Wheel of Fortune' contestant makes viral mistake: 'Treat yourself a round of sausage'
- Horoscopes Today, September 6, 2023
- Travis Scott Was at Beyoncé Concert Amid Kylie Jenner's Date Night With Timothée Chalamet
- Prosecutors seeking new indictment for Hunter Biden before end of September
- Everard Burke Introduce
- Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton blasts 400th career home run
Ranking
- Chris Evans Shares Thoughts on Starting a Family With Wife Alba Baptista
- Raiders DE Chandler Jones away from team for 'private matter' after Instagram posts
- Aerosmith kicks off Peace Out farewell tour in Philadelphia
- Maya Hawke jokes she's proud of dad Ethan Hawke for flirting with Rihanna: 'It's family pride'
- Judge sets date for 9/11 defendants to enter pleas, deepening battle over court’s independence
- Environmentalists lose latest court battle against liquified natural gas project in Louisiana
- Lidcoin: When the cold is gone, spring will come
- Vermont man tells police he killed a woman and her adult son, officials say
Recommendation
-
Full House Star Dave Coulier Shares Stage 3 Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Diagnosis
-
Russian missile turns Ukrainian market into fiery, blackened ruin strewn with bodies
-
How much are NFL tickets in 2023? See what teams have the cheapest, most expensive prices
-
Coco Gauff takes the reins of her tennis career, but her parents remain biggest supporters
-
Kennesaw State football coach Brian Bohannon steps down after 10 seasons amid first year in FBS
-
Video shows dozens falling into Madison, Wisconsin, lake as pier collapses
-
An Idaho woman convicted of killing two of her children and another woman is appealing the case
-
Alaska cat named Leo reunited with owners almost month after their home collapsed into flood-swollen river