Sen. Menendez Acquitted Of Some Charges Ahead Of Retrial

U.S. Senator Robert Menendez and his supporters in New Jersey got some good news Wednesday when a federal judge acquitted the lawmaker of some bribery and corruption charges that threatened to derail his political career. He still faces several other charges at his upcoming retrial.

Menendez, a veteran Democrat lawmaker from New Jersey once dubbed the "Boss of Hudson County," was accused of offering a friend political favors in exchange for lavish gifts and campaign contributions.

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge William Walls acquitted Menendez for some of the largest bribery charges he faced, stating that there was no evidence that co-defendant and Florida ophthalmologist Salomon Melgen gave the senator $660,000 in campaign contributions as part of an allegedly corrupt bargain.

However, Walls left almost several charges intact, including three counts of bribery related to flights Menendez allegedly took on Melgen's private plane, and a Paris hotel suite Melgen paid for with American Express points, NorthJersey.com reported.

Menendez also still faces two counts of honest services fraud, one count of conspiracy, one count of interstate travel to carry out bribery and one count of making false statements on his congressional financial disclosures to conceal the crimes, the report stated.

Just days before Walls’ decision, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a one-paragraph notice of intent in federal court to retry the case, two months after the first trial ended in a mistrial with a deadlocked jury.

The National Republican Senate Committee celebrated the news about the retrial earlier this month, noting that the decision comes just as Menendez is facing re-election in 2018.

"Menendez's new bribery trial is likely to take place as the accused criminal seeks reelection in 2018, throwing a monkey wrench into Democrats' chances of holding onto his seat," Bob Salera, NRSC deputy communications director, said. "Will Menendez, whose approval stands at 29 percent after his first trial, really run for re-election in the middle of a trial which will once again detail the lavish bribes he accepted in exchange for doing favors for a wealthy convicted felon? Or will he finally do the right thing and resign to save New Jerseyans further embarrassment?"

• See related article: NJ Sen. Bob Menendez Will Face Corruption Trial Again: Reports
• See related article: After Mistrial, Menendez Thanks God, Kids, Jury, Lawyers (VIDEO)

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Photo: menendez.senate.gov

With previous reporting by Tom Davis