DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Sen. Robert Menendez bribery trial: Opening statements expected in corruption case
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), arrives at Federal Court, for his bribery trial in connection with an alleged corrupt relationship with three New Jersey businessmen, in New York City, U.S., May 14, 2024. Prosecutors and defense attorneys are poised Wednesday to select a full jury and deliver opening statements in the federal bribery trial of Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey. Prosecutors will begin their opening statements shortly afterward "if all goes to plan," the judge said. A third New Jersey businessman charged in the case, Jose Uribe, pleaded guilty in March and agreed to cooperate with the federal prosecutors. Nadine Menendez has not been in court with her husband.

Persons: Robert Menendez, Sen, Sidney Stein, Stein, Menendez, Nadine Menendez, Wael Hanna, Fred Daibes, Jose Uribe Organizations: Federal Court, Prosecutors, Robert Menendez of New, Democratic, Benz, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Locations: Jersey, New York City, U.S, Robert Menendez of, Robert Menendez of New Jersey, Manhattan, Egypt, Qatar, New Jersey

☆ Jury Selection in Menendez Trial Stretches Into a Third Day
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Nicholas Fandos | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Jury selection in the corruption trial of Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey stretched into a third day on Wednesday, as a judge prepared to seat a dozen citizens who will soon weigh one of the most serious sets of charges ever brought against a sitting senator. The judge, Sidney H. Stein, spent much of Tuesday questioning dozens of potential jurors from New York City and Westchester County, quizzing them on their professions, experiences with the criminal justice system and preferred news sources. After hours in the Manhattan federal courtroom, he indicated a final panel was imminent. “We will be picking a jury by the end of the morning,” Judge Stein said late Tuesday, adding that he expected to begin opening statements quickly thereafter. Prosecutors will go first, offering jurors and the public a preliminary outline of a sprawling corruption and bribery case that involves $100,000 in gold bars, an Egyptian halal meat monopoly and a Qatari sheikh.

Persons: Robert Menendez, Sidney H, Stein, ” Judge Stein Organizations: Prosecutors Locations: Robert Menendez of New Jersey, New York City, Westchester County, Manhattan, Qatari

A Manhattan judge refused on Thursday to dismiss bribery and other charges against Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey on the grounds that they violate constitutional protections afforded to members of Congress. The ruling does not address other grounds that Mr. Menendez, a Democrat, has cited in asking that the charges against him, which are still pending before the judge, be dismissed. Mr. Menendez could file an appeal of the ruling, which could end up delaying his trial for months. It currently is scheduled to begin on May 6. Lawyers for Mr. Menendez had asked the judge, Sidney H. Stein of Federal District Court, to throw out the charges, arguing that overzealous prosecutors were criminalizing the normal activity of legislators and flouting the protections given to members of Congress under what is known as the Constitution’s “speech or debate” clause.

Persons: Robert Menendez, Menendez, Sidney H, Stein Organizations: Manhattan, Robert Menendez of New, Democrat, Federal, Court Locations: Robert Menendez of, Robert Menendez of New Jersey

☆ Opinion: How America became immune to scandal
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Julian Zelizer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Editor’s note: CNN’s six-part series “United States of Scandal With Jake Tapper” will premiere at 9 p.m. ET/PT February 18. As president, Trump experienced more moments that would traditionally be defined as a scandal than almost any other high official in recent memory, arguably surpassing his notorious predecessor, Richard Nixon. In an era when most Americans are more concerned about the political party of their children’s future spouse than their religion, this calculation is dominant. One study even found that legislators often raise more money after a scandal, especially if the issue received media coverage. For all these reasons, scandal in 2024 isn’t your grandfather’s scandal.

Persons: Jake Tapper ”, Julian Zelizer, Webster, doesn’t, Donald Trump, Trump, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Trump’s, Matt Gaetz, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Pink Floyd, George Santos, Santos, Taylor Swift, Bill Clinton, Sen, Robert Menendez Organizations: CNN, Princeton University, The New York Times, America, Trump, Capitol, Republicans, GOP, Republican Party, Democratic Party, New York Republicans, Rep, Republican, Democrat, Robert Menendez of New Locations: United States, Merriam, Florida, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Vietnam, shrug, midstream, yesteryear, Robert Menendez of, Robert Menendez of New Jersey

Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey had a problem — and, prosecutors say, an opportunity. And as New Jersey’s senior senator, Mr. Menendez was in a position to help, by recommending the next leader of the office overseeing the case. In early 2021, Mr. Menendez urged President Biden to nominate a lawyer he knew well as the state’s next U.S. attorney: Esther Suarez, a politically connected prosecutor in his home county. When White House and Justice Department officials interviewed Ms. Suarez, they found her knowledge of federal law lacking, and they had substantial concerns about her qualifications, according to four people familiar with the sessions. Mr. Menendez pushed for Ms. Suarez to be given another chance, the people said.

Persons: Robert Menendez, Menendez, Biden, Esther Suarez, Suarez, Mr Organizations: Robert Menendez of New, White, Justice Locations: Robert Menendez of, Robert Menendez of New Jersey

☆ Menendez Pleads Not Guilty to Plotting to Be an Agent of Egypt
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Tracey Tully | More About Tracey Tully | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey pleaded not guilty on Monday to a new federal charge that accused him of illegally plotting to be an agent of Egypt while serving as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It was Mr. Menendez’s second not-guilty plea in a month after he and his wife, Nadine Menendez, were accused of being at the center of a broad web of political corruption. The couple has been charged with accepting bribes in exchange for Mr. Menendez’s efforts to increase aid and weapons sales to Egypt while also working to quash criminal investigations for associates in New Jersey. The bribery-related charges were first announced last month by federal prosecutors in Manhattan; a revised indictment, made public on Oct. 12, included the new charge of conspiring to act as an agent of a foreign government. Ms. Menendez, 56, pleaded not guilty to the new conspiracy charge last week, but Mr. Menendez was granted permission to appear on Monday, instead, so that he could be present in Washington for legislative business.

Persons: Robert Menendez, Menendez’s, Nadine Menendez, Menendez Organizations: Robert Menendez of New, Senate Foreign Relations Locations: Robert Menendez of, Robert Menendez of New Jersey, Egypt, New Jersey, Manhattan, Washington

Political Cartoons View All 1211 ImagesThe disdain for Congress is just one area where Americans say they are losing faith. Various polls say the negative feelings include a loss of confidence or interest in institutions such as organized religion, policing, the Supreme Court, even banking. “Trust in institutions has deteriorated substantially,” said Kay Schlozman, professor of political science at Boston College. Just 3% have a great deal of confidence in Congress, virtually unchanged from March. The polling reinforces that Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say their confidence in the Supreme Court is low.

Persons: —, They’re, ”, Christopher Lauff, Joe Biden, “ We’re, Lauff, Kay Schlozman, Schlozman, Democratic Sen, Robert Menendez, Kevin McCarthy, Democrat Joe Biden —, Donald Trump, Rick Cartelli, Cartelli, Biden, “, Robert F, Kennedy, Kathleen Kersey, Brian Kemp, there’s, Ronald Reagan's, ” David Bateman, Barack Obama’s, Bateman, Trump, Chris Wray, ” Bateman Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S ., “, Boston College, Democratic, Robert Menendez of New, Republicans, Associated Press, NORC, for Public Affairs Research, Democrat, Justice Department, AP, Kennedy Human Rights, Republican, Trust, Pentagon, Cornell University, Gallup, FBI, Trump Locations: U.S, Fargo , North Dakota, Ukraine, —, Robert Menendez of, Robert Menendez of New Jersey, That’s, Rocky Hill , Connecticut, Brunswick , Georgia

☆ Gold Bullion and Halal Meat: Inside the Menendez Investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Nicole Hong | More About Nicole Hong | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It was January 2018, and Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey had just won a huge legal victory. The future Ms. Menendez was eager to connect her influential new boyfriend with Mr. Hana’s high-level connections in the Egyptian government. Prosecutors accused Mr. Menendez, 69, of abusing his power to influence arms sales to Egypt and to attempt to interfere with criminal investigations into Mr. Hana’s web of business associates. search last year of the couple’s New Jersey home revealed some of the fruits of their scheme, prosecutors said. Inside the home were more than $100,000 worth of gold bars, some of which had unique serial numbers that traced back to Mr. Hana.

Persons: Robert Menendez, Weeks, Nadine Arslanian, Arslanian, Menendez, Wael Hana, Hana’s, Mr, Hana Organizations: Robert Menendez of New, U.S . Justice Department, Prosecutors, Benz Locations: Robert Menendez of, Robert Menendez of New Jersey, Egyptian American, New Jersey, Egypt, Jersey

Mr. Smith is not the first special counsel to investigate Mr. Trump. Mr. Smith, by contrast, faces no such limits given that Mr. Trump is no longer in office. Mr. Mueller said little when faced with a barrage of falsehoods pushed publicly by Mr. Trump and his allies about him and his investigative team. During Mr. Trump’s arraignment in Miami in June, Mr. Smith sat in the gallery, closely watching the proceedings. Some in the courtroom suggested he stared at Mr. Trump for much of the hearing, sizing him up.

Persons: General Merrick B, Garland, Jack Smith’s, Donald J, Trump, Smith, Maddie McGarvey, The New York Times “, ”, Ryan Goodman, Trump’s, Robert S, Mueller, Smith —, —, Goodman, Smith “, Edgar Hoover, Mueller III, Anna Moneymaker, Ted Stevens, “, Robert McDonnell, Rick Renzi, James, Smith’s, Jay I, Bratt, Cooney, Robert Menendez, Greg Craig, Obama, Andrew G, McCabe, Roger J, Stone Jr, William P, Barr, Aaron Zelinsky, Thomas P, Windom, Peter Dejong Mr, John H ., Carlos F, legwork, sotto, intently, Alan Feuer Organizations: White, The New York Times, New York University School of Law, Capitol, Washington, Department, Just Security, Trump, U.S, New York Times, Justice Department, Justice, Republican, Supreme, Mr, Department of Justice, Democrats, Robert Menendez of New, Hague, Credit, House Republicans, U.S . Postal Inspection Service Locations: Washington, The Hague, Russia, Alaska, Virginia, Arizona, Robert Menendez of, Robert Menendez of New Jersey, U.S, Netherlands, John H . Durham, ’, Miami

☆ Republicans Attack Blinken for China Trip, Threatening Subpoena
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Karoun Demirjian | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Why It MattersThe clash reflects two divergent approaches to dealing with a rising China, and could influence forthcoming debates over military spending. Relations between the two countries experienced another setback earlier this year, when the Chinese spy balloon floated over the United States, hovering near sensitive military sites. Mr. Blinken canceled a planned trip to Beijing in the aftermath of the balloon incident. What’s NextMr. McCaul is trying to prove that State Department officials intentionally dragged their feet on punishing China by demanding to see the department’s so-called competitive actions calendars. The State Department was not expected to meet the 6 p.m. deadline Mr. McCaul set for producing the documents.

Persons: Biden, fecklessly, ”, Mike Gallagher, Robert Menendez, Nancy Pelosi’s, Blinken, What’s, McCaul Organizations: Republican, Robert Menendez of New, Foreign Relations, United, Beijing, Department, China, The State Department Locations: China, United States, Taiwan, Wisconsin, Robert Menendez of, Robert Menendez of New Jersey, Beijing, Cuba

REUTERS/Tom BrennerWASHINGTON, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Over 200 advocates from around the United States converged on Capitol Hill this week with an 11th-hour mission: persuade lawmakers to provide citizenship to "Dreamer" immigrants who illegally entered the United States as children. Addinelly Moreno Soto, a 31-year-old communications aide who came to the United States from Mexico at age 3, trekked to the Capitol from San Antonio with her husband hoping to meet with her state's U.S. Senator John Cornyn, an influential Republican whose support could help advance a deal that has eluded Congress for more than a decade. The end-of-year push comes as a window is closing for Congress to find a compromise to protect "Dreamers", many of whom speak English and have jobs, families and children in the United States but lack permanent status. Tillis himself has been skeptical about whether Congress will have time to pass the legislation before the year’s end.

Search resuls for: "Robert Menendez of"

11 mentions found