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☆ Controversial Egypt aid held by new Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s new chairman is going to block a controversial tranche of military aid for Egypt, he announced Saturday. Sen. Ben Cardin’s last-minute decision on the day of the September 30 deadline followed backlash over the State Department’s recent decision to use a national security waiver to bypass human rights-related restrictions imposed on $235 million in aid. The block comes after the committee’s previous chairman, Sen. Bob Menendez, was indicted on corruption charges over accusations that he accepted bribes to help Egypt obtain military aid. Critics, including Cardin, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken should not have released the $235 million balance on the $320 million tranche of military aid. The White House referred questions to the State Department, which did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.

Persons: Sen, Ben Cardin’s, Bob Menendez, ” Cardin, Cardin, ”, Antony Blinken, Cardin’s, Abdel Fattah el Organizations: CNN, Relations, State, New, New Jersey Democrat, Maryland Democrat, Biden, State Department Locations: Egypt, New Jersey, Maryland, Taiwan, Lebanon

Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) speaks at a committee meeting after assuming the chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at the U.S. Capitol on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., September 28, 2023. REUTERS/Craig Hudson/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 30 (Reuters) - The chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee vowed on Saturday to block military aid and arms sales to Egypt if it does not take concrete steps to improve human rights in the country. Much of the aid has been withheld in recent years over concerns about human rights abuses under the government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. But President Joe Biden's administration announced this month it had decided to waive human rights restrictions on $235 million of the aid, citing security benefits to the U.S. It is currently withholding $85 million of the aid, a fraction of the $1.3 billion a year allocated for Egypt.

Persons: Ben Cardin, Craig Hudson, Gregory Meeks, Bob Menendez, Menendez, Cardin, Abdel Fattah al, Joe Biden's, Matt Spetalnick, Patricia Zengerle, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Senate Foreign, U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Senate Foreign, Democratic U.S, Representatives Foreign, State Department, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Democratic, Washington, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Egypt, Washington, Israel

☆ No Republican senator has called on Menendez to resign — but they're happy to use his scandal to bludgeon Democrats
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

No Republican senator has publicly called for Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez to resign. But the GOP's Senate campaign arm has been using the scandal to hit vulnerable Democrats. AdvertisementAdvertisementNot a single Republican senator has called for Sen. Bob Menendez to resign in the wake of his latest indictment. On Monday, when Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was still the only senator who had called for Menendez to resign, the committee pointed out the silence of most Democrats. "That's for Democrats to decide," replied Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, the NRSC chairman, when asked by Insider on Thursday if he believed Menendez should resign.

Persons: Democratic Sen, Bob Menendez, Sen, Steve Daines, —, John Fetterman of, Menendez, Phil Letsou, Bob, it's, That's, Daines tersely, Ted Cruz of, Tom Cotton of, he's, Republican who's, Mitt Romney, Axios, Jon Tester, Bob Casey of, they've, they'll, Bob Casey, We'd, Casey Organizations: Republican, Democratic, Senate, Service, Republicans, National Republican, Democrats, New, Twitter, Democratic Sens Locations: John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Montana, New Jersey, Ted Cruz of Texas, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Utah

☆ Senior Senate Democrat Threatens to Block Military Aid to Egypt on Human Rights Grounds
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Matt Spetalnick and Patricia ZengerleWASHINGTON (Reuters) -The chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee vowed on Saturday to block military aid and arms sales to Egypt if it does not take concrete steps to improve human rights in the country. Senator Ben Cardin issued the threat in a statement, saying "it is imperative that we continue to hold the government of Egypt, and all governments, accountable for their human rights violations." Much of the aid has been withheld in recent years over concerns about human rights abuses under the government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. But President Joe Biden's administration announced this month it had decided to waive human rights restrictions on $235 million of the aid, citing security benefits to the U.S. It is currently withholding $85 million of the aid, a fraction of the $1.3 billion a year allocated for Egypt.

Persons: Matt Spetalnick, Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON, Ben Cardin, Gregory Meeks, Bob Menendez, Menendez, Cardin, Abdel Fattah al, Joe Biden's, Patricia Zengerle, Daniel Wallis Organizations: U.S . Senate Foreign, Democratic U.S, U.S, Representatives Foreign, State Department, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Democratic, Washington, Egypt Locations: Egypt, Washington, Israel

☆ WSJ Opinion: The GOP Presidential Candidates' Soft Targeting of Donald Trump
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Wsj Opinion | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WSJ Opinion: Robert Menendez, Gold Ingots and a Refusal to Resign Review and Outlook: New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez is indicted for bribery and fraud, but he is resisting calls from fellow Democrats to resign. Images: Reuters/New York U.S. Attorney's Office Composite: Mark Kelly

Persons: Robert Menendez, Gold, Jersey Sen, Mark Kelly Organizations: New, New York U.S, Attorney's Locations: Jersey, New York

☆ Bankman-Fried trial poses biggest test to date for crypto's top cop
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Bankman-Fried's will be the first of Williams' blockbuster white collar cases to go to trial. The cases Williams, 43, has brought so far show he has been a "steward" of the SDNY's longstanding priorities, said Kan Nawaday, who overlapped with Williams at the office. Prosecutors had described the cases as the first insider trading cases brought involving digital assets. Williams' charges against Bankman-Fried came just one month after FTX's collapse, which former prosecutors say is very fast for a complex white collar case. WILLIAMS HAS STRUGGLED WITH SELF-DOUBTBankman-Fried's trial comes after some setbacks and amid ongoing challenges for Williams' office.

Persons: Damian Williams, Mike Segar, Sam Bankman, Williams, Charlie Javice, Bill Hwang, Joe Lewis, Javice, Hwang, Lewis, Kan Nawaday, He's, Venable, Prosecutors, Alex Mashinsky, WILLIAMS, SDNY's, John Paul Stevens, General Merrick Garland, Garland, Joe Biden, Bob Menendez, Menendez, Fried, Joshua Naftalis, Pallas, Brian Benjamin, haters, Luc Cohen, Noeleen Walder, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Attorney, Southern, of, REUTERS, U.S, Yale Law School, Archegos Capital Management, Supreme, Allianz's U.S, Allianz, Bankman, New, Columbia Law School, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York City , New York, U.S, of New York, English, Jersey, Bahamas, Caribbean, New York, Bronx, Georgia

☆ Republicans sure don't sound like they're about to block Democrats from filling Dianne Feinstein's Judiciary Committee seat
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Dianne Feinstein's seat on the Judiciary committee is now empty in the wake of her death. AdvertisementAdvertisementIn the wake of Sen. Dianne Feinstein's death, questions are swirling over how the California Democrat's now-empty seat on the Senate Judiciary Committee will be filled. In order to change the membership of any Senate committee, the chamber has to pass a resolution to make that change official. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer can do so via a simple voice vote if no Republicans object to the change. Sen. JD Vance of Ohio said it was up to Republicans on the Judiciary Committee and that he would "probably support" whatever decision they made.

Persons: Dianne Feinstein's, —, Sen, Joe Biden's, Josh Hawley, Chuck Schumer, Republican Sen, Ron Johnson, Johnson, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Mike Braun, JD Vance, Ohio, Todd Young, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Paul, Ben Cardin, Bob Menendez, Feinstein, Mitch McConnell, Sheldon Whitehouse, Whitehouse, Hawley, I'm, She's Organizations: Service, Republicans, Democratic, GOP, Republican, Indiana, Committee, Senate Foreign Relations, Bob Menendez of New, Judiciary, Twitter, Democrats Locations: California, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Marco Rubio of Florida, Ted Cruz of Texas, Ben Cardin of Maryland, Bob Menendez of, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Rhode

☆ Menendez to address Senate Democrats as most of them urge he resign after bribery charges
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Senator Bob Menendez and his wife Nadine Menendez (not seen) depart a Manhattan court after they were arraigned on federal bribery charges in New York, September 27, 2023. Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey plans to speak privately Thursday to fellow Senate Democrats as more than half of their 51-member caucus has called for his resignation over bribery allegations. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York has yet to ask Menendez to quit. But Schumer told reporters Wednesday, "We'll see what happens after" Menendez speaks to the caucus at a closed-door lunch on Capitol Hill. Menendez, 69, last week was charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and other charges with his wife, Nadine, and three New Jersey businessmen.

Persons: Bob Menendez, Nadine Menendez, Sen, Chuck Schumer, Menendez, Schumer, John Fetterman of, Nadine, Bernie Sanders, Menedez, Dick Durbin of, Debbie Stabenow of, Patty Murray Organizations: Bob Menendez of New, Democrat, Jersey businessmen, Prosecutors, Benz, Democratic, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Pro Tempore Locations: Manhattan, New York, Bob Menendez of, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, York, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Jersey, Vermont, Debbie Stabenow of Michigan

WASHINGTON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The Senate Foreign Relations Committee's new chairman on Thursday said he would look at Turkey's $20 billion Lockheed Martin (LMT.N) F-16 fighter jet deal and that more issues than Sweden's ascension to NATO would affect the decision on lifting his predecessor's longstanding hold. Cardin said he had discussed Sweden's NATO accession with Turkish officials at a NATO ambassador's meeting on Wednesday. Leaders of the U.S. Senate and House foreign affairs panels review every major foreign arms sale. "Menendez being out of the picture is an advantage," Erdogan was quoted as telling reporters by Turkish media. The top Republican on the Senate panel, Senator Jim Risch, has put a hold on arms sales to Hungary over the issue.

Persons: Lockheed Martin, Ben Cardin, Cardin, Bob Menendez, Tayyip Erdogan's, Menendez, Nadine Menendez, Erdogan, Sweden's, Jim Risch, Patricia Zengerle, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Relations, Lockheed, Turkish, NATO, U.S . Senate, Kurdistan Workers Party, Republican, Thomson Locations: NATO, Sweden, Greece, Ankara, Stockholm, Turkey, Finland, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Budapest

☆ Embattled US Senator Bob Menendez to face Democrats who want him to resign
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) delivers remarks, after he and his wife Nadine Menendez were indicted on bribery offenses in connection with their corrupt relationship with three New Jersey businessmen, in Union City, New Jersey, U.S., September 25, 2023. Senator Bob Menendez on Thursday is expected to address his Democratic colleagues, more than half of whom have called for him to resign, the day after he pleaded not guilty to federal charges of accepting bribes. 2 Senate Democrat Dick Durbin, the head of the Senate Democrats' campaign arm, Gary Peters, and Menendez's fellow senator from New Jersey, Cory Booker. Prosecutors have said Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez, accepted gold bars and hundreds of thousands of dollars in exchange for using their influence to interfere with law enforcement probes of three New Jersey businessmen and aid the Egyptian government. Menendez's Senate seat is in play in the 2024 elections.

Persons: Robert Menendez, Nadine Menendez, Mike Segar, Bob Menendez, Dick Durbin, Gary Peters, Cory Booker, Chuck Schumer, Menendez, Richard Cowan, Makini Brice, Moira Warburton, Jamie Freed Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Democratic, Senate Democrats, Prosecutors, Menendez's Senate, Republican, Thomson Locations: Jersey, Union City , New Jersey, U.S, New Jersey, Menendez's

☆ Sen. Bob Menendez Beat Corruption Charges Before. Could He Again?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( James Fanelli | Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones, 40c49424

☆ Bob Menendez Toughs Out His Indictment
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/bob-menendez-allegations-phil-murphy-andy-kim-new-jersey-f0c0f7c9

Persons: Dow Jones, phil, murphy, kim

☆ As Menendez’s Star Rose, Fears of Corruption Cast a Persistent Shadow
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Nicholas Fandos | More About Nicholas Fandos | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Robert Menendez’s education in political corruption came unusually early. In 1982, he turned against his mentor, Mayor William V. Musto of Union City, N.J., the popular leader of their gritty hometown. Mr. Menendez took the witness stand and testified that city officials had pocketed kickbacks on construction projects, helping to put a man many considered his father figure behind bars. Mr. Menendez, then 28, wore a bulletproof vest for a month. The son of Cuban immigrants, Mr. Menendez broke barriers for Latinos and has used his perch as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to influence presidents and prime ministers.

Persons: Robert Menendez’s, William V, Menendez Organizations: Democratic, Senate Foreign Relations Locations: Union City, N.J, Jersey, Washington

The New Jersey Democrat will make his first appearance in a federal court in Manhattan amid growing calls from colleagues that he resign from Congress. It's the second corruption case in a decade against Menendez, whose last trial involving different allegations ended with jurors failing to reach a verdict in 2017. An attorney for Nadine Menendez has said she also denies the allegations and will fight the charges. Prosecutors say Hana promised to put Menendez's wife on his company's payroll in a low-or-no-show job in exchange for Menendez using his influential post to facilitate foreign military sales and financing to Egypt. In one case, he pushed to install a federal prosecutor in New Jersey whom Menendez believed he could influence to derail a criminal case against Daibes, prosecutors allege.

Persons: Sen, Bob Menendez, Menendez —, —, It's, Menendez, New Jersey Democratic Sen, Cory Booker, Nadine, Nadine Menendez, — Jose Uribe, Fred Daibes —, Wael Hana, Hana, Menendez's, Prosecutors, Daibes, ___ Richer Organizations: — U.S, The New, The New Jersey Democrat, Foreign, Senate, New Jersey Democratic, Tuesday, Democrats, New, Authorities, Prosecutors, U.S Locations: New Jersey, The, The New Jersey, Manhattan, Jersey, New York’s, Egypt, Boston

☆ Sen. Cory Booker gave an impassioned speech defending Sen. Bob Menendez's character during a closed-door lunch with fellow senators
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Cory Booker gave an impassioned defense of Bob Menendez's character during a senators' lunch. AdvertisementAdvertisementSen. Cory Booker of New Jersey gave an impassioned defense of Sen. Bob Menendez's character during a closed-door lunch with other Democratic senators on Wednesday, according to four sources familiar with the meeting. In his Tuesday statement calling on Menendez to resign, Booker offered high praise for his colleague. "I've consistently found Senator Menendez to be intellectually gifted, tough, passionate, and deeply empathic. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who's also known Menendez for decades, has so far declined to call for Menendez to resign.

Persons: Cory Booker, Bob Menendez's, Booker, Menendez, —, Sen, Cory Booker of, I've, — Sen, Robin, Chuck Schumer, who's Organizations: Service, Cory Booker of New, Democratic, New, New Jersey Democrat Locations: Cory Booker of New Jersey, New York City, New Jersey, Egypt

Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on "Accountability for Russian Atrocities in Ukraine", on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., May 31, 2023. It is the second time Cardin, a senior senator known for human rights advocacy, replaces fellow Democrat Menendez in committee leadership. Cardin also stepped in from April 2015 to February 2018 after Menendez faced federal corruption charges that were later dropped. Less hawkish than Menendez, Cardin has focused on human rights throughout his career, notably by authoring the Magnitsky Act, named for a lawyer who exposed corruption in Russia before dying in prison. Passed in 2012 and expanded globally in 2016, the act allowed the U.S. government to sanction individuals involved in human rights violations, not just governments.

Persons: Ben Cardin, Julia Nikhinson, Bob Menendez, Menendez, Cardin, Barack Obama's, Joe Biden's, Patricia Zengerle, Timothy Gardner Organizations: Foreign, Russian Atrocities, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Senate Foreign Relations, Democratic, Communist, Obama's, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Washington , U.S, Russia, Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, Egypt

☆ Fetterman says he'll avoid violating the old 'silly dress code,' bowing to growing backlash from colleagues
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The controversy over the Senate's new dress code may have finally reached its conclusion. Fetterman told his colleagues of the change at a caucus lunch on Wednesday. AdvertisementAdvertisementMaybe, just maybe, the controversy over the Senate's new dress code is arriving at its conclusion. AdvertisementAdvertisement"The whole silly dress code thing was discussed," Fetterman told Insider. The Pennsylvania Democrat has, until now, treated the altered dress code with a degree of levity, even selling merchandise riffing on the outrage over it.

Persons: Sen, John Fetterman, Fetterman, —, Democratic Sen John Fetterman, Pennsylvania —, Fetterman's, Democratic Sen, Bob Menendez, Menendez, Chuck Schumer, Dick Durbin of, Joe Manchin Organizations: Service, Democratic, Punchbowl News, Pennsylvania Democrat, Republicans, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Senate Locations: Pennsylvania, West Virginia

☆ Protesters hold sign and shame Sen. Bob Menendez as he shows up in court on bribery charges
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Sonam Sheth | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

US Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey appeared in court Wednesday on criminal charges. Prosecutors allege he accepted cash and gold bricks from businessmen to help the Egyptian government. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Appearing defiant with a slight smile, the Democratic senator strode into the Manhattan federal courthouse alongside his wife, Nadine Menendez, who prosecutors allege also accepted the bribes. Menendez has denied the criminal charges, saying prosecutors "misrepresented the normal work of a Congressional office."

Persons: Sen, Bob Menendez, —, strode, Nadine Menendez, Cory Booker, Donald Trump, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, Fred Daibes, Menendez, Menendez texted, Hana, Prosecutors Organizations: Bob Menendez of New, Protesters, Democratic, Service, Benz, Photographers, Republican, Mercedes Locations: Bob Menendez of, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Egypt, Manhattan, New Jersey

☆ Analysis: Trump can get away with skipping a debate but can't evade legal consequences
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Donald Trump will skip another Republican presidential debate on Wednesday night because no one will punish him for not being there. While getting away with it is the ex-president’s quintessential political skill, his talent for evading consequences is facing a grave challenge in another sphere – the courts. Since the first GOP debate last month in Wisconsin, Florida Gov. Yet it stirred barely a murmur from Trump’s GOP rivals. The ex-president’s political might within the GOP base means its leaders are loath to cross him.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, He’s, he’s, Ronald Reagan, specter, Ron DeSantis ’, Nikki Haley, Chris Christie, Asa Hutchinson, –, Haley, they’ve, Mike Pence, Trump’s, Cassidy Hutchinson, Mark Meadows, marveled, CNN’s Jake Tapper, “ Donald Trump, can’t, ” Hutchinson, Tapper, ”, Mark Milley, he’d, Eric, Donald Jr, Jack Smith, Democratic Sen, Robert Menendez, Arizona Sen, Jeff Flake, Liz Cheney, Utah Sen, Mitt Romney –, Matt Gaetz, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kevin McCarthy, McCarthy, Rudolph Giuliani, Meadows, ” Trump, Trump shrewdly Organizations: CNN, Trump Organization, Republican Party, GOP, Trump, Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Florida Gov, South Carolina Gov, New, New Jersey Gov, Arkansas Gov, White House, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Justice Department, MSNBC, Democratic, Republican, Wyoming, Georgia, White, Trump –, goading, Former New York Locations: Detroit, York, Wisconsin, Florida, New Jersey, Trump, New York, Washington, DC, Mar, Arizona, Utah

☆ Sen. Bob Menendez to be arraigned as resignation calls grow louder
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Dareh Gregorian | Jonathan Dienst | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

US Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) speaks during a news conference at Hudson County Community College's North Hudson Campus in Union City, New Jersey, on September 25, 2023. Menendez, his wife, Nadine, and two co-defendants are scheduled to be arraigned in the morning. Since the indictment was unsealed Friday, Menendez has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, and he is expected to plead not guilty. But he faces a deluge of calls to resign from his Democratic colleagues in the Senate and at the local level in New Jersey. The federal indictment is the second Menendez has faced since he became a senator in 2006.

Persons: Bob Menendez, Sen, Menendez, Nadine, — Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, Fred Daibes —, Hana, Uribe, Daibes, Damian Williams Organizations: Hudson, Hudson County Community, Hudson Campus, Democratic, Southern, of, Foreign, Capitol, Office Locations: Hudson County, Hudson, Union City , New Jersey, New York, New Jersey, couple's, Jersey, U.S, of New York, Englewood, Cuba, Florida

☆ Latino lawmakers dismiss Sen. Bob Menendez's claims that he's being racially targeted: 'This is not that'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Sen. Menendez has argued that he's being targeted for being a "first-generation Latino American." AdvertisementAdvertisementFellow Latino lawmakers in Congress aren't buying Sen. Bob Menendez's claims that he's being targeted by prosecutors for his heritage. "Latinos face barriers and discrimination across the board in so many categories, including in our justice system. AdvertisementAdvertisementInsider asked several of Menendez's Latino colleagues in the Senate on Tuesday what they made of his argument, including Republican Sens. Democratic Rep. Veronica Escobar of Texas also pushed back on Menendez's claims as she called on him to resign.

Persons: Sen, Menendez, it's, —, Bob Menendez's, he's, Pete Aguilar, Aguilar, Phil Murphy, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Democratic Sen, Ben Ray Luján, Rubio, Cruz, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Veronica Escobar, Escobar Organizations: Service, Democratic, House Democratic Caucus, New, New Jersey Democrat, Gov, Democrats, Republican Sens, of Justice, Texas Tribune Locations: Pete Aguilar of California, New York, Egypt, New Jersey, Ted Cruz of Texas, New Mexico, Alexandria, Cortez of New York, Cortez, Veronica Escobar of Texas

Senator Robert Menendez, Democrat of New Jersey,delivers remarks, after he and his wife Nadine Menendez were indicted on bribery offenses in connection with an alleged corrupt relationship with three New Jersey businessmen, in Union City, New Jersey, U.S., September 25, 2023. Senator Bob Menendez is set to appear in court on Wednesday to face charges of taking bribes from three New Jersey businessman, as calls for his resignation from his fellow Democrats escalated. Menendez, his wife Nadine Menendez, 56, and businessmen Jose Uribe, 56, and Fred Daibes, 66, are set to appear in Manhattan federal court around 10:30 a.m. EDT (1430 GMT). David Schertler, a lawyer for Nadine Menendez, said she intends to plead not guilty and "vigorously defend" against the allegations. Lawyers for Bob Menendez, Uribe and Daibes did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Persons: Robert Menendez, Nadine Menendez, Mike Segar, Bob Menendez, Menendez, Jose Uribe, Fred Daibes, Wael Hana, David Schertler, Uribe, Daibes, Cory Booker, Phil Murphy, Hana, Luc Cohen, Andrew Goudsward, Scott Malone, Timothy Gardner 私 Organizations: Democrat, REUTERS, Senate Foreign Relations, Senate, U.S, Democratic Senators, Democratic New, Prosecutors Locations: New Jersey, Jersey, Union City , New Jersey, U.S, Manhattan, Democratic New Jersey, Washington

☆ Sen. Bob Menendez pleads not guilty to pocketing bribes in a wide-ranging corruption case
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to federal charges accusing him of pocketing bribes of cash and gold bars in exchange for wielding his political influence to secretly advance Egyptian interests and do favors for local businessmen. Menendez spoke in court only when each defendant stood to acknowledge that they understood the charges against them. A lawyer entered the not guilty plea for Menendez, who was forced to step down as chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee after being indicted. They say Menendez also tried to interfere in criminal investigations involving associates, in one case pushing to install in New Jersey a federal prosecutor who he believed he could influence to derail a case. Two of the businessmen, Jose Uribe and Fred Daibes, also were arraigned and pleaded not guilty.

Persons: Bob Menendez, Nadine Arslanian, Sen, Menendez, Illinois Sen, Dick Durbin, Jersey Sen, Cory Booker, Nadine, Nadine Menendez, Jose Uribe, Fred Daibes, Wael Hana, Hana, Prosecutors, Menendez's Organizations: Democrat, Court, Southern District of, U.S, Bob Menendez of New, Foreign, Senate, Illinois, Democrats, Authorities, Prosecutors, Kennedy Airport Locations: New Jersey, Southern District, Southern District of New York, New York City, Bob Menendez of, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Manhattan, Jersey, Englewood, , New Jersey, Egypt

"I believe stepping down is best for those Senator Menendez has spent his life serving," Booker said in a statement. I urge Senator Menendez to resign," said Senator Gary Peters, the head of Senate Democrats' campaign arm, in a statement. Many Democratic elected officials in Menendez's state of New Jersey, including Governor Phil Murphy, have also called for Menendez to resign. Menendez's Senate seat will be among those decided in next year's election. The probe marks the third time Menendez has been under investigation by federal prosecutors.

Persons: Robert Menendez, Nadine Menendez, Mike Segar, Cory Booker, Bob Menendez, Booker, Menendez, Chuck Schumer, Gary Peters, Phil Murphy, Andy Kim, Murphy, Wael Hana, Makini Brice, Jeff Mason, Eric Beech, Luc Cohen, Josie Kao, Christopher Cushing Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Democratic, Senate, Republicans, U.S . Senate, Democrats, Democratic U.S, Republican, Senate Foreign Relations, New, Thomson Locations: Jersey, Union City , New Jersey, U.S, Northeastern, New Jersey, Menendez's, Egypt, Manhattan, New York

☆ Cory Booker Calls for Ally Bob Menendez to Quit Senate
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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