Staff Reports
A lawyer for Senator Bob Menendez placed blame on the politician’s wife for the legal trouble he is facing. The defense lawyer told the jury that the Democrat had no knowledge of his spouse accepting gifts from businessmen or the cash and gold bars hidden in their home. The lawyer portrayed Menendez’s wife as being secretive about her financial problems and keeping the senator in the dark about the gifts she was receiving.
The trial began with prosecutors accusing Menendez of accepting bribes in exchange for doing favors as a senator that benefited the government of Egypt. The Assistant U.S. Attorney portrayed Menendez as someone who betrayed his country and used his wife as a conduit for the bribes he received. Nadine Menendez is also charged in the case but her trial has been postponed due to a medical condition. Menendez faces charges of bribery, fraud, extortion, obstruction of justice, and acting as a foreign agent of Egypt.
A lawyer for U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez blamed the politician's wife Wednesday for his legal problems, telling a jury at the start of a corruption trial that the Democrat wasn't aware his spouse had taken gifts from a trio of businessmen and didn't know… https://t.co/IvgDP196L6
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) May 16, 2024
Prosecutors claimed that Menendez also tried to corrupt the U.S. justice system by using his influence to protect a real estate developer from criminal prosecution. They emphasized that this was not typical politics, but rather a senator using his power for personal gain. The defense lawyer countered these allegations by calling Menendez an American patriot and denying that he took any bribes or acted as a foreign agent.
The defense also explained the presence of gold bars and cash in the senator’s home by citing cultural practices from Nadine Menendez’s Lebanese family and the senator’s family history of storing cash due to losing their life savings. The lawyer argued that the evidence did not prove any wrongdoing on the part of Menendez.
This trial marks the second time Senator Menendez has faced criminal charges, as a previous trial in 2017 ended in a deadlock. Despite the defense’s request for a mistrial, the judge denied it. The outcome of this trial will determine the senator’s future in public office.
By adhering to conservative principles, this rewrite emphasizes the defense’s perspective and casts doubt on the allegations against Senator Menendez, while highlighting the legal process and the judge’s decisions. The article focuses on the legal proceedings and the defense’s arguments, presenting a conservative viewpoint and avoiding direct quotes.
