Jury choice begins within the trial accusing a high Democrat of accepting bribes and performing as an unregistered overseas agent.
Jury choice has begun within the corruption trial of Bob Menendez, a senior U.S. senator accused of accepting bribes in alternate for a collection of favors and performing as an unregistered agent of the Egyptian authorities.
Menendez, 70, faces 16 legal costs and is being tried together with two New Jersey businessmen in federal courtroom in Manhattan.
Menendez sat along with his attorneys Monday and listened as Choose Sidney H. Stein spoke in regards to the costs to a number of dozen potential jurors.
The choose advised them that the “sitting U.S. senator from the state of New Jersey” had been charged with conspiracy by which he allegedly “accepted and accepted bribes.”
Menendez’s spouse, Nadine, has additionally been charged however will probably be tried individually. All 4 defendants have pleaded not responsible.
In September, prosecutors accused Menendez and his spouse of accepting money, gold bars and a Mercedes-Benz convertible in alternate for the senator exerting political affect in New Jersey and serving to the governments of Egypt and Qatar.
Authorities stated Menendez promised to assist Egypt receive arms gross sales and different navy help, and helped co-defendant Wael Hana, an Egyptian-American businessman, receive a profitable monopoly over the certification of halal meat exports to Egypt.
Prosecutors additionally stated Menendez tried to assist his different co-defendant, distinguished New Jersey developer Fred Daibes, receive hundreds of thousands of {dollars} from a Qatari funding fund and tried to thwart a federal legal case towards Daibes in New Jersey.
A lot of the cash acquired by the couple was hidden inside clothes of their dwelling, prosecutors stated.
Just a few weeks after the preliminary allegation was revealed, US authorities in October additionally accused Menendez – who beforehand chaired the influential Senate International Affairs Committee – of serving as an unregistered agent of Egypt.
Talking to reporters in late September, Menéndez stated he was assured he can be exonerated within the case and proceed his political profession.
“I firmly imagine that when all of the info are introduced, I can’t solely be exonerated, however I’ll stay New Jersey’s senior senator,” he stated.
He additionally tried to defend his document in Egypt.
“All through my 30 years within the Home of Representatives and the Senate, I’ve at all times labored to carry these nations, together with Egypt, accountable for human rights abuses, repression of their residents, civil society and extra,” he advised reporters on the time.
Menendez is working for re-election in November and has stated he may run as an impartial if he’s exonerated from the legal case.
However latest polls present he’s deeply unpopular with New Jersey voters and lots of Democratic Social gathering senators, together with New Jersey’s Cory Booker, have known as for him to resign.
Fewer than one in six voters surveyed in March by Monmouth College and Emerson Faculty Polling/PIX11/The Hill stated they accepted of Menendez’s job efficiency. Even fewer stated they’d vote for him as an impartial.
That is Menendez’s second legal trial: In 2017, a federal choose in New Jersey declared a mistrial after the jury deadlocked over whether or not he broke the legislation by offering assist to a rich ophthalmologist in alternate for beneficiant items and political contributions.
