A New York federal jury found U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez guilty on Tuesday of taking gold bars, cash, and a Mercedes-Benz as bribes from three businessmen. This conviction marks a significant victory for the government on its second attempt to convict the embattled New Jersey Democrat on corruption charges.
Menendez Convicted of Bribery: Reaction to the Verdict
Menendez showed little reaction as the verdict was read aloud at 1 p.m. He glanced at his lawyers, one of whom patted him on the back, and crossed his hands under his chin. The case against Menendez and his wife, Nadine, centered around accusations of accepting gold bars, cash, and other treasures as bribes to advance the business and personal interests of real estate developer Fred Daibes, halal meat certifier Wael Hana, and former insurance broker Jose Uribe.
Convictions and Pleas
Daibes and Hana were also convicted on Tuesday, while Uribe pled guilty to bribery charges before the trial and cooperated with the government. Following the verdict, U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein thanked the jury for its service, excused the panel, and set an Oct. 29 sentencing date for the three trial defendants.
Menendez Convicted of Bribery: U.S. Attorney’s Statement
Outside the Manhattan courthouse, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams addressed the media, stating that the senator had engaged in “shocking corruption.” Williams emphasized, “A jury has convicted Bob Menendez. His years of selling his office to the highest bidder have finally come to an end.”
Political Fallout
Menendez, who is in the last year of his second full Senate term, did not seek reelection in the June 4 Democratic primary but filed petitions with the New Jersey Division of Elections to run as an independent. His political future now hangs in the balance. Less than an hour after the verdict, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy each issued statements calling on Menendez to resign. “In light of this guilty verdict, Senator Menendez must now do what is right for his constituents, the Senate, and our country, and resign,” Schumer said in his statement.
Menendez Convicted of Bribery: Background of the Case
This was the government’s second set of corruption charges against Menendez, a former chair of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In 2017, a case accusing him of using his influence to help a Florida eye doctor ended in a hung jury, and prosecutors chose not to retry that case. The indictment for this trial was first handed up in September, with the government building upon the case in superseding versions. The trial commenced on May 15, but Nadine Menendez’s trial was severed after she received a breast cancer diagnosis and has been adjourned indefinitely.
Evidence and Testimony
The government presented a detailed case, showcasing dozens of photos taken during an FBI search of the Menendez home in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Agents discovered gold bars, a Mercedes-Benz convertible, and about half a million dollars stuffed in various containers. Prosecutors also used text messages and emails to create a timeline of Menendez’s meetings with Hana, Daibes, and Uribe.
