Politics & Government
Bribery Trial Of NJ Sen. Bob Menendez Kicks Off In NYC
A federal judge told prospective jurors on Monday that the trial of Sen. Bob Menendez could last 7 weeks, a report said.
NEW JERSEY — Sen. Robert Menendez, who's fighting a September indictment for allegedly accepting bribes, heads to trial this week.
Jury selection began in federal court in Manhattan on Monday, May 13. According to the Associated Press, Judge Sidney Stein told jurors that the trial could last up to seven weeks.
New Jersey businessmen Wael Hana and Fred Dabies, who were implicated in the same indictment, will also go to trial this week.
Find out what's happening in Hobokenfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Menendez and his wife, Nadine Arslanian, were indicted on Sept. 22, 2023 for allegedly accepting the bribes from at least three business contacts.
They were implicated in a newer indictment in early March for obstruction of justice.
Find out what's happening in Hobokenfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
On March 21, Menendez said in a 9-minute video that he believes he will be exonerated and will run for re-election this year, but as an independent.
His wife will have her trial separately, possibly in summer, due to surgery for an undisclosed health condition, reports say.
Various reports also say that Menendez may blame her during the trial.
"I am hopeful that my exoneration will take place this summer and allow me to pursue my candidacy as an independent Democrat in the general
election," Menendez said in his video in March.
Investigators famously found gold bars in the couple's closet during a 2019 search of their home, according to federal prosecutors, who allege the items were part of a bribe.
Menendez, who has been free on bail, has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
If he continues his re-election bid, he will face whichever Democrat succeeds in the June primary, including candidate Rep. Andy Kim. Tammy Murphy, the wife of the governor, has dropped out.
Menendez is the son of Cuban immigrant parents and was born in the U.S. He grew up in a tenement in Union City, going on to win a seat on the school board in 1974, at age 19. He eventually was elected mayor.
He was elected to the Senate in 2006 and helped write and advocate for the Affordable Care Act in 2010.
He survived his first corruption trial in 2017. He began dating Arslanian the following year, and married her in October 2020.
Menendez's son, Rob Menendez Jr., is running for 8th District Congress and faces two challengers in the Democratic primary on June 4. He has not been implicated in the indictments.
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