Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), who previously chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was convicted on Tuesday afternoon of all 18 counts he faced in his foreign bribery trial. The charges included bribery, extortion, wire fraud, and acting as a foreign agent for Egypt.
The Department of Justice had indicted Menendez last year, alleging he accepted gold bars and around half a million dollars in exchange for using his influence to influence criminal investigations and benefit Egypt. A later indictment in January added allegations that he accepted gifts like race car tickets and expensive watches to promote the interests of Qatar.
Menendez stepped down from his committee post after being indicted but remained in the Senate. Facing a tough reelection path within the Democratic Party, he launched an independent campaign earlier this year, primarily to fund his legal defense.
CNN’s Kara Scannell reported from outside the courthouse, noting the unprecedented nature of a senior senator being convicted on such serious corruption charges. Dana Bash remarked on the significance of Menendez’s case, describing it as a striking instance of an elected official abusing their position for personal gain.
“Senator Bob Menendez and his co-defendants were found guilty across the board in all of these charges,” reported CNN’s Kara Scannell from outside the courthouse where Menendez was tried on Tuesday.
“Absolutely extraordinary that we have this United States senator, senior senator, who has had a lot of power now being found guilty, as you said, on 18 counts of corruption, using that position that he has, elected by the people of New Jersey, according to this jury, to sell his office to foreign powers and also to corrupt business people,” marveled Dana Bash. “Really remarkable.”
