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Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) has been indicted but once more.

On Thursday, prosecutors from the US Legal professional’s Workplace for the Southern District of New York filed a superseding indictment within the bribery and corruption case towards Menendez, his spouse Nadine Menendez, and three businessmen.

The brand new cost accuses Menendez, Nadine, and businessman Wael Hana of conspiring to have a public official — Menendez, who till not too long ago chaired the Senate International Relations Committee — act as an agent of the Egyptian authorities.

Menendez used his “affect and energy” to “breach his official obligation in ways in which benefited the Authorities of Egypt” in change for “a whole lot of 1000’s of {dollars} of bribes,” prosecutors declare. A part of this, they are saying, concerned Menendez’s efforts to facilitate overseas army gross sales and financing to Egypt, regardless of the objections of another senators.

The unique indictment, filed in September, alleged that the Menendezes accepted “money, gold, funds towards a house mortgage, compensation for a low-or-no-show job, a luxurious automobile,” and different bribes in change for Menendez utilizing his senatorial affect to learn the businessmen. Prosecutors say they discovered virtually half 1,000,000 {dollars} in money throughout a search of the couple’s residence, together with some inside Menendez’s jackets, in addition to greater than $100,000 value of gold bars.

US Legal professional’s Workplace for the Southern District of New York

The Egyptian angle is that Hana funneled cash from a profitable contract with the Egyptian authorities to the Menendez household whereas additionally arranging conferences between them and Egyptian officers who had been attempting to get extra army assist. At one level, an Egyptian official texted Hana that if Menendez helped them out on army assist that was being held up, “he’ll sit very comfortably,” prosecutors say. Additionally they allege Menendez “supplied delicate US authorities data” to the Egyptian authorities.

In the meantime, prosecutors additional allege that Menendez referred to as state prosecutors to attempt to “disrupt” an investigation into one other businessman in change for a automotive. They usually declare Menendez tried to get President Joe Biden to nominate a US lawyer for New Jersey who would scuttle one more investigation for a donor — in change for “money, furnishings, and gold bars.”

That’s … rather a lot. Now, one catch is that Menendez has crushed an indictment earlier than — prosecutors accused him of bribery and corruption again in 2015, however the jury deadlocked at trial.

This time round, although, the proof seems extra intensive and damning. Prosecutors quote from textual content messages exchanged among the many alleged conspirators, and even web searches by Menendez (together with “how a lot is one kilo of gold value”). They usually spend quite a lot of time mentioning how particular items or funds occurred instantly earlier than or after Menendez intervened in a manner the businessmen needed.

However Menendez has sounded defiant, claiming final month that “for years, forces behind the scenes have repeatedly tried to silence my voice and dig my political grave,” and claiming that his enemies “merely can’t settle for {that a} first-generation Latino American from humble beginnings might rise to be a US Senator and serve with honor and distinction.”

Although many main Democrats have referred to as on Menendez to resign, he has adamantly refused, and should still run for reelection in 2024. However he’s already dealing with a major problem from Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ), and two latest polls confirmed Kim surging to an enormous lead and Menendez’s help collapsing to about 10 %. So it looks as if Menendez’s luck could also be about to expire.

Bob Menendez’s rise to energy, and his first indictment, defined

The son of Cuban immigrants, Menendez rose to energy within the Democratic machine of Hudson County, New Jersey, serving as a mayor after which a member of Congress. Corruption rumors have dogged him since he was first appointed to the US Senate in 2006. When he was operating for a full time period that 12 months, phrase leaked that federal prosecutors had been scrutinizing a nonprofit he had helped get thousands and thousands in federal grant cash — and that had paid him a whole lot of 1000’s of {dollars} in hire. No expenses had been introduced, and Menendez received a full time period.

He rapidly rose by means of the Democratic ranks within the Senate and have become chair of the influential Senate International Relations Committee in 2013. A normal-issue Democrat on most home points, he was generally a thorn within the Obama administration’s aspect on overseas coverage, criticizing offers Obama struck with Iran and Cuba. He additionally began dwelling giant, taking lavish journeys and accepting items funded by a marketing campaign donor, rich Florida eye physician Salomon Melgen. This once more drew federal prosecutors’ scrutiny, and in 2015, Menendez received his first indictment on bribery and corruption expenses.

However prosecutors’ case bumped into an issue. They introduced ample proof that Menendez used the ability of his workplace to assist Melgen out — he advocated on Melgen’s behalf in a billing dispute he was having with Medicare, and intervened in varied issues pertaining to a cargo screening contract Melgen had with the Dominican Republic. However they wanted to show a quid professional quo — that Menendez was performing “official acts” particularly in return for the items and donations. And protection attorneys argued that they had been simply good mates serving to one another out. Their argument prevailed: In 2017, the prosecution led to a mistrial resulting from a deadlocked jury.

Menendez now appeared vindicated. He quickly regained his former submit as high Democrat on the International Relations Committee (he had stepped again from it whereas his prosecution unfolded). There was no critical Democratic effort to dislodge him; he solely confronted an unknown in his 2018 major, although he received a surprisingly weak 62 % of the vote towards her — and he beat his Republican challenger fairly simply within the basic election.

Prosecutors’ explosive new allegations towards Menendez

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Pictures

Additionally in 2018, Menendez began relationship the lady who would quickly turn into his second spouse — and alleged accomplice in crime — Nadine Arslanian. Earlier than Nadine started relationship Menendez, she had “lived a primarily non-public life” targeted on elevating two youngsters relatively than working, and had struggled financially after a divorce, the New York Occasions reported. She was unemployed earlier than relationship Menendez, and confronted foreclosures on her residence quickly after — so she wanted cash.

Quickly, the cash — and extra — began rolling in. Prosecutors argue that it did so as a result of Menendez and his spouse made corrupt offers with three businessmen.

1) Wael Hana, his halal enterprise, and the Egyptian authorities

Wael “Will” Hana was a longtime buddy of Nadine’s who had ties to Egyptian authorities officers. Shortly after Nadine started relationship Menendez in 2018, she helped Hana prepare a sequence of conferences between Egyptian officers, the senator, and Nadine, typically discussing arms gross sales and assist. Per prosecutors, Hana promised Nadine funds in change for facilitating these conferences and mentioned he’d give her “a low-or-no-show job” at his firm.

In spring 2019, Hana scored: The Egyptian authorities granted his firm an unique monopoly on certifying that US meals exports to Egypt had been compliant with halal requirements in Islamic regulation, though he had no expertise on this enterprise space. Prosecutors don’t say particularly why they consider Hana obtained this contract, however the implication is that his ties to Menendez had been essential. And Nadine sounded excited — per the indictment, she texted Menendez, “Looks like halal went by means of. It may be a improbable 2019 all the best way round.”

The US Division of Agriculture appeared askance on the information, believing it might elevate prices for US meat suppliers, so a number of officers contacted the Egyptian authorities to object. Menendez then referred to as a high-level division official and demanded they again off. And as soon as cash was rolling in to Hana’s firm, he started paying Nadine — together with paying, by means of his firm, $23,000 of her mortgage that was being foreclosed on.

Prosecutors declare that, in whole, Hana paid a whole lot of 1000’s of {dollars} in checks, money, and gold to the Menendezes. In return, they declare, Menendez used his workplace to assist the federal government of Egypt in varied methods, together with by offering private details about US embassy personnel and deliberate adjustments in arms coverage.

At one level, as an illustration, senators had been holding up army assist to Egypt in protest of their authorities’s dealing with of a 2015 incident the place April Corley, an American curler skater, was shot and maimed by a (US-provided) Egyptian army helicopter.

Per the superseding indictment, after a gathering with Hana and Egyptian officers, Menendez searched Corley’s identify. One week later, an Egyptian official texted Hana in Arabic that, if Menendez helped resolve the Corley incident, “he’ll sit very comfortably.” Hana answered: “Orders, think about it performed.”

All this, in prosecutors’ telling, amounted to a conspiracy the place the Egyptian authorities successfully purchased the Senate International Relations Committee chair — with Hana because the intermediary.

2) Jose Uribe’s authorized hassle, and a Mercedes-Benz

Individually, Hana additionally linked the Menendezes with Jose Uribe, one other businessman working in trucking and insurance coverage (and who had beforehand been convicted of fraud). Uribe had some associates in authorized hassle, with one already being prosecuted by the New Jersey Legal professional Common’s workplace and one being investigated by that very same workplace, and he was involved the instances might implicate him. Hana informed the senator and Nadine about all this, and shortly afterward, Menendez referred to as the New Jersey lawyer’s workplace, urging them to wrap up the prosecution.

In the meantime, Nadine had gotten right into a automotive accident and wanted a brand new automotive, and texts counsel that Uribe had promised to pay for it. Finally, he gave Nadine $15,000 that she used for a down fee on a Mercedez-Benz convertible (after which Nadine texted him, “I’ll always remember this”) and continued to make month-to-month funds on the automotive afterward. Prosecutors argue that this all quantities to Menendez attempting “to disrupt New Jersey state felony issues” in change for a automotive.

3) The prosecution of Fred Daibes, two kilos of gold, and a few money

Then there’s Fred Daibes, a longtime fundraiser for Menendez, who had been charged with financial institution fraud by the US Legal professional’s workplace for New Jersey in 2018. With President Biden set to take workplace in 2021, it was time for a brand new US Legal professional. Historically, senators from a state are deeply influential on the US lawyer’s selection.

Menendez, prosecutors say, badly needed it to be somebody who would go straightforward on Daibes. He interviewed one candidate, lawyer Philip Sellinger, and urged him to take action. When Sellinger mentioned he’d in all probability should recuse from the Daibes case, Menendez mentioned he wouldn’t advocate him for the submit, per the indictment.

Later, a Menendez adviser spoke to Sellinger in regards to the case once more, and the adviser reported again to Menendez that he may not should recuse in spite of everything. Menendez finally did advocate Sellinger for the submit, and he was confirmed (and did find yourself recusing, to the senator’s frustration).

In October 2021, Menendez and Nadine returned from a overseas journey, and Daibes’s driver gave them a journey again to their home. The following day, prosecutors say Menendez did an online seek for “how a lot is one kilo of gold value.”

Then, in January 2022, Daibes’s driver referred to as Nadine, and he or she texted Daibes: “Christmas in January.” Shortly afterward, Menendez referred to as the Justice Division official who was overseeing Daibes’s prosecution. (Brokers who later searched Menendez’s residence found an envelope full of money with Daibes’s driver’s fingerprints and Daibes’s DNA and return tackle.)

Later that month, Menendez once more searched “kilo of gold worth.” He additionally referred to as the DOJ official once more, and referred to as Daibes instantly afterward. In March 2022, Nadine introduced two one-kilogram gold bars (then value $60,000 every) to a jeweler to be offered. The serial numbers on the gold bars, per prosecutors, point out Daibes had beforehand possessed them.

What all of it means

It’s fairly uncommon to get an old school bribery scandal at this degree of nationwide politics lately.

After all, there’s infinite quantities of “authorized corruption” going round. Politicians repeatedly do favors to donors who fund their campaigns, since that is authorized so long as there’s no direct quid professional quo. Ex-politicians or officers turn into lobbyists in industries they’d overseen. International governments pay Donald Trump’s companies. Hunter Biden rakes in large bucks for questionable work. Justice Clarence Thomas takes luxurious journeys.

However even in comparison with Menendez’s final indictment — based mostly on his accepting journeys and items in a Clarence Thomas-like manner — this appears to be at a brand new degree. Envelopes of money and gold bars for a sitting nationwide politician look like one thing out of an earlier period.

The Democratic Social gathering caught by Menendez throughout his first indictment again in 2015 — when, notably, Republican Chris Christie was governor of New Jersey and would have stuffed Menendez’s seat if he resigned. Some can also have feared crossing the famously vindictive senator.

This time round, there’s a widespread sense that Menendez is toast. High New Jersey Democrats like Gov. Phil Murphy and Sen. Cory Booker have referred to as on him to resign, as have many different Senate Democrats. He has refused, however Kim has already introduced his major problem and is main polls overwhelmingly, and extra contenders might enter the race. Menendez may have his day in court docket, however his time in political workplace seems to be drawing to an finish.

Replace, October 12, 3:20 pm ET: This text was initially revealed on September 22 and has been up to date, most not too long ago to incorporate information of Menendez’s superseding indictment.