Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez pleaded not guilty to three federal charges stemming from an alleged bribery scheme that involved the senator using his political power to help the Egyptian government and three New Jersey businessmen. Meanwhile, the new chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Ben Cardin, pointed to possible policy shifts affecting Egypt, Turkey, the war in Ukraine and other issues around the globe.
HDN Newsroom
The New Jersey senator Bob Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez, were arraigned in U.S. district court in Manhattan after they were indicted alongside three New Jersey businessmen last week. Nadine Menendez also entered a plea of not guilty for the three charges filed against her.
Menendez was released on a $100,000 bond and had to surrender his passport. The senator can travel abroad on official business as long as he notifies the court and cannot speak about the case with political advisors, his staff or staff for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, of which he is a member, who have personal knowledge of it. Nadine Menendez was released on $250,000 bond.
The Justice Department claimed Menendez and his wife engaged in a yearslong plot through which the couple accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars, gold bars and a Mercedes-Benz convertible, among other items. But Menendez has defiantly denied any wrongdoing and repeatedly said he believes that he will be exonerated.
The senator on Monday pledged to remain in his role as the senior senator representing New Jersey, though he did step down as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Meanwhile, the new chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Ben Cardin, pointed to possible policy shifts affecting Egypt, Turkey, the war in Ukraine and other issues around the globe as he took over the powerful leadership of the panel, replacing indicted Sen. Bob Menendez.
