Key takeaways:
- Senator Robert Menendez and his wife have been federally indicted in a bribery scheme.
- Prosecutors allege that the couple received hundreds of thousands of dollars and lavish gifts in exchange for the senator wielding his influence.
- Senator Menendez has denied the allegations and is scheduled to hold a news conference on Monday.
Democratic Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey is facing growing calls from fellow Democrats to resign after he and his wife were federally indicted in a bribery scheme.
On Friday, federal prosecutors announced charges against the 69-year-old Democrat, nearly six years after an earlier criminal case against him ended with a deadlocked jury. Menendez and his wife, Nadine, have been charged with conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right.
Prosecutors allege that the couple received hundreds of thousands of dollars and lavish luxury gifts in exchange for the senator wielding his influence to benefit three New Jersey business associates and the government of Egypt.
Menendez last week denied the allegations and resisted calls to resign, saying he is innocent and will be vindicated. He is scheduled to hold a news conference on Monday.
The senator has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump and has served in the Senate since 2006. He is the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and was a key figure in the Obama administration’s efforts to normalize relations with Cuba.
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