NEW YORK — Federal prosecutors accused Sen. Bob Menendez on Thursday of secretly acting as an agent of the government of Egypt while serving as the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, adding to the slate of criminal charges for which the New Jersey Democrat was indicted last month.
Prosecutors in the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office unveiled an updated indictment adding the charge of conspiracy for a public official to act as a foreign agent, alleging that Menendez; his wife, Nadine Menendez; and a New Jersey businessman, Wael Hana, used his Senate position to benefit the government of Egypt without registering as foreign agents.
The new indictment comes three weeks after a federal grand jury charged all three — along with two other New Jersey businessmen — with conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and conspiracy to commit extortion. That set of charges also centered on Menendez’s alleged efforts to advocate for […]
It may be that Senator Menendez is guilty. The evidence certainly appears damning. There have been a multiple calls for the good Senator to resign before any trial. When similar charges are made against Republicans they insist on the full process playing out, as is their right (double standard anyone?). I wonder if there was a Republican Governor in New Jersey if the calls for Menendez to resign would be so vociferous. I might also add that there has been discussion in New Jersey, by the Governor himself, of the Governor appointing his wife to the Senator’s seat should he resign. This is highly inappropriate (nepotism anyone?). The state’s marketing motto is “Anything can happen in New Jersey” and that’s exactly what we’re afraid of.