Liam Conner
washington — Senator Bob Menendez was working at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, but in four days he will be in a Manhattan courtroom as a struggling criminal defendant federal corruption charges involving the governments of Egypt and Qatar.
The New Jersey Democrat told CBS News he plans to attend the trial every day, “subject to the schedule.” When asked if he would testify, Menéndez said, “that will be determined.”
The Senate is scheduled to be in session for most of next month, except Memorial Day week.
Menendez has maintained his innocence since he was initially indicted in September on corruption and bribery charges along with his wife, Nadine Menendez, and three New Jersey businessmen. Prosecutors have since expanded the charges to include obstruction of justice and conspiracy to act as a foreign agent, alleging that Menendez, his wife and one of three New Jersey businessmen used the senator’s position to benefit Egypt’s government. Federal law prohibits Menendez, a public official, from acting as a foreign agent.
Menéndez faces 16 criminal charges, while his wife, who will be tried separately for health issues, faces 15.
The senator recently indicated that he could frame your wife when he goes on trial Monday alongside two New Jersey businessmen, Wael Hana and Fred Daibes. The three, along with Nadine Menendez, pleaded not guilty.
The third indicted business associate, José Uribe, pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors earlier this year.
The Menendezes are accused of accepting lavish gifts, including nearly half a million dollars in cash, more than a dozen gold bars, a Mercedes-Benz convertible and home mortgage payments, from businessmen who allegedly tried to use the senator’s power. to benefit your business. , Egypt and Qatar and to stop criminal prosecutions. Menendez and his wife then sought to cover up the bribes by writing checks to business owners, which were characterized as loan payments, according to prosecutors.
Menendez defended his cash stash as an “old-fashioned” habit that had roots in his family’s experience in Cuba. Menendez’s lawyers said in a recent court case who want a psychiatrist to testify about “two significant traumatic events” in the senator’s life that led to the “coping mechanism of routinely withdrawing and storing money in his home” – his family having funds confiscated by the Cuban government and his father’s suicide. Prosecutors objected to the proposed testimony.
Menendez has refused demands, including from his fellow Democrats, to resign since being indicted.
“Everyone is innocent until proven guilty,” Menéndez said Thursday when asked if he was being treated differently than Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas, who was indicted last week with his wife on federal bribery charges. “That’s my opinion. For Congressman Cuellar, it’s the same thing. How people react to it is his position.”
