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☆ These Are the Key Players in the Case Against Senator Menendez
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Tracey Tully | More About Tracey Tully | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

He now lives in Bergen County with his wife of three years, Nadine Menendez. They met years ago at one of his favorite haunts, an IHOP in Union City, a city he has represented as mayor and in the State Legislature and the House of Representatives before being elected to the Senate. Mr. Menendez has been preparing to run for a fourth Senate term, and there are no indications that the indictment will change that plan. As a young man, he wore a bulletproof vest into federal court to testify against a onetime mentor, William V. Musto, then the mayor of Union City. Mr. Musto was convicted of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks from a contractor hired to build schools.

Persons: Nadine Menendez, Menendez, William V, Musto, Chris Christie Organizations: State Legislature, Senate, Foreign, Justice Department Locations: Bergen County, Union City, U.S, New Jersey

☆ Federal agents found more than $480,000 in cash 'stuffed into envelopes and hidden in clothing' in Sen. Bob Menendez's home, indictment says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey has been indicted on bribery charges. Federal agents found cash "stuffed into envelopes and hidden in clothing" in his home. That included more than $480,000 in cash that was "stuffed into envelopes and hidden in clothing, closets, and a safe." Exhibits from the federal indictment showing cash on top of Menendez's jackets. US District Court for the Southern District of New YorkIn a defiant statement on the indictment, Menendez said that he's the victim of a "smear campaign" and that prosecutors have "misrepresented the normal work of a Congressional office."

Persons: Democratic Sen, Bob Menendez, Menendez, Bob Menendez's, Nadine, Nadine Menendez, Wael, Will, Hana Organizations: Democratic, Bob Menendez of New, Service, New, Jersey senator's, Jersey businessmen, Court, Southern, of, Senate Foreign Relations Locations: Bob Menendez of, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Wall, Silicon, New Jersey, Jersey, of New York, of Egypt, Egypt

☆ Menendez Indictment Appears to Undercut Claims of ‘Two-Tiered System’ of Justice
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Glenn Thrush | More About Glenn Thrush | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

On Wednesday, Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee repeatedly accused Attorney General Merrick B. Garland of singling out former President Donald J. Trump for selective prosecution, slamming him for what they call a “two-tiered system” of justice. Forty-eight hours later, the Justice Department indicted one of the most powerful Democrats in the Senate — Bob Menendez of New Jersey, the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee — on bribery charges, making public a trove of evidence, including cash and gold bars stashed at his house. The department’s aggressive pursuit of Mr. Menendez appeared to undercut claims that Mr. Trump is the victim of pervasive political bias that targets leaders on the right while shielding transgressors on the left. The entanglement of electoral politics and law enforcement is becoming the norm, and the prosecution of a top Democrat up for re-election in 2024 has political as well as legal reverberations. And the indictment, brought by federal prosecutors in Manhattan with limited participation from the Justice Department’s national security division in Washington, comes at a politically opportune moment for the besieged department.

Persons: Merrick B, Garland, Donald J, Trump, Bob Menendez, Menendez Organizations: Justice Department, Bob Menendez of New, Foreign Relations, Justice Department’s Locations: House, Bob Menendez of, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Manhattan, Washington

Senator Robert Menedez (D-NJ) walks to the Senate floor for a procedural vote at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. September 20, 2023. The investigation marks the third time Menendez has been investigated by federal prosecutors, but he has never been convicted. Prosecutors said Hana, who is originally from Egypt, arranged dinners and meetings between Menendez and Egyptian officials in 2018 at which the officials pressed Menendez on the status of U.S. military aid. Menendez at a meeting in 2018 told Hana non-public information about the status of the aid, prosecutors said. Hana then texted an Egyptian official, "The ban on small arms and ammunition to Egypt has been lifted," according to the indictment.

Persons: Robert Menedez, Jonathan Ernst, Bob Menendez, Menendez, Joe Biden, Prosecutors, Damian Williams, Nadine Menendez, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, Fred Daibes, Uribe, Daibes, Hana, Egypt’s, Jon Corzine, Clifford Case, Luc Cohen, Jonathan Stempel, Simon Lewis, Andrew Goudsward, Tom Hals, Mark Porter Organizations: U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, New Jersey businessmen, U.S . Senate, Foreign Relations, Prosecutors, NBC, Benz, Hana, State Department, U.S . Department of Agriculture, USDA, New, Republican, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, WASHINGTON, New Jersey, U.S, Manhattan, Egypt, Ukraine, China, United States, Washington, New York

☆ Sen. Bob Menendez allegedly had a stash of gold bars. That’s become a trend
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Sen. Bob Menendez, allegedly accepted gold bar bribes, prosecutors allege, according to a newly unsealed federal indictment. The value of a kilogram of gold hit a one-year-record high of nearly $66,000 in May, according to data Goldprice.org. If you can invest in gold, why do people want to physically own it? That’s because if, for instance, you invest in a gold ETF, “it’s still tied to the market,” he said. Other people who prefer to keep gold under their own roof store it in a gun safe or floor safe, he added.

Persons: New York CNN — Sen, Bob Menendez, It’s, Menendez didn’t, Jonathan Rose, ” Rose, Rose, Fitch, ”, it’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Genesis Gold, Western Alliance, CNN, World Gold Council, IRS Locations: New York, “, Beverly Hills , California

“For years, forces behind the scenes have repeatedly attempted to silence my voice and dig my political grave,” Menendez said in a statement. It's a sign, those who know Menendez said, that he won't be going anywhere without a fight, for now. His own biography touts the fact that he wanted to fight corruption early in his political career, testifying against Union City officials and building a reputation as tough. Menendez was appointed to be a U.S. senator in 2006 when the seat opened up after incumbent Jon Corzine became governor. The couple began dating in 2018 and got engaged in 2019 after meeting at an IHOP in Union City, a frequent haunt of Menendez’s.

Persons: — Sen, Bob Menendez's, Menendez, “, ” Menendez, “ Sen, what’s, I’ve, Steve Sweeney, ’ It’s, —, Jon Corzine, hasn't, Bob Menendez, ”, Benjamin Dworkin, Nadine, Alicia Menendez, Rob Menendez, Biden, Loretta Weinberg, he's, Dr, Salomon Melgen, wasn't, He's, Philip R, Sellinger Organizations: Democratic, Union City, U.S . House, Foreign Relations, Republican Party, “, Rowan Institute for Public Policy, Citizenship, Republicans, New Locations: TRENTON, N.J, Union City , New Jersey, U.S, Union City, New Jersey, Florida, Dominican Republic, Egypt

Menendez serves as the powerful chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. And as chairman, he had unique influence over foreign military sales and foreign military financing. The State Department typically seeks the input of the chairperson and top minority senator on the Foreign Relations panel when it comes to foreign military financing and foreign military sales, and the department generally will not go forward if one of the two senators objects. Hana is a friend of Nadine Menendez and the Egyptian-American founder of a business that certifies beef imported into Egypt meets Islamic religious standards. “Congratulations mon amour de la vie, we are the proud owners of a 2019 Mercedes,” Nadine Menendez texted her husband, along with a heart emoji.

Persons: — Democratic U.S . Sen, Bob Menendez, Egypt —, Menendez, ”, Nadine, “, Prosecutors, Nadine Arslania, David Schertler, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, Fred Daibes, Nadine Menendez, He's, Hana, Uribe, ” Nadine Menendez, Hana's, Salomon Melgen, Melgen, Donald Trump, Chuck Schumer, Sen, Ben Cardin, Schumer, Phil Murphy Organizations: WASHINGTON, — Democratic U.S ., Senate Foreign Relations, U.S, Embassy, The State Department, Foreign Relations, U.S . House, Strategic International Business Consultants LLC, -, New, Daibes, Senate, New Jersey voters, Republican, NEXT, Democratic, While New, While New Jersey Gov Locations: Egypt, New Jersey, Jersey, U.S, Cairo, Union City , New Jersey, Edgewater , New Jersey, Florida, Dominican Republic, Paris, Washington, D, While, While New Jersey

☆ Sen. Menendez defiant after second corruption indictment: 'Prosecutors did that the last time'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Christina Wilkie | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., walks through the Senate subway on his way to a vote in the Capitol, in Washington, D.C., May 4, 2023. Bill Clark | Cq-roll Call, Inc. | Getty ImagesWASHINGTON — Sen. Robert Menendez on Friday vowed to remain in the Senate while he fights federal charges of bribery and extortion announced earlier in the day. The indictment was the second time the New Jersey Democrat had been prosecuted for alleged corruption as a sitting senator. As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Menendez holds one of the most powerful gavels in Congress. The senator and his wife, Nadine Menendez, were indicted Friday on three criminal counts each after a multiyear federal investigation.

Persons: Sen, Bob Menendez, Bill Clark, Getty Images WASHINGTON — Sen, Robert Menendez, Menendez, Nadine Menendez, Damian Williams, Nadine, Alexi J, Rosenfeld Organizations: Washington , D.C, Cq, Inc, Getty Images WASHINGTON, New, New Jersey Democrat, Senate Foreign Relations, Democratic, NBC News, Southern, of, Attorney, U.S, Getty Locations: Washington ,, New Jersey, Jersey, of New York, U.S, New York City

☆ New Jersey Gov. Murphy, Assembly speaker call on Sen. Bob Menendez to resign
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Christina Wilkie | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Phil Murphy, the state's General Assembly speaker and the Democratic State Committee chairman all called on U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez to resign Friday after their fellow Democrat was indicted on federal bribery charges. "The allegations in the indictment against Senator Menendez and four other defendants are deeply disturbing," Murphy said about Menendez, the state's senior senator. "The alleged facts are so serious that they compromise the ability of Senator Menendez to effectively represent the people of our state. Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin said, "The charges laid out against Senator Menendez today go against everything we should believe as public servants. Two New Jersey Democrats in Congress, U.S. Reps. Andy Kim and Mikie Sherrill, also called on Menendez to resign.

Persons: Phil Murphy, Sen, Bob Menendez, Menendez, Murphy, Craig Coughlin, Coughlin, LeRoy Jones, Jr, Jones, Andy Kim, Mikie Sherrill, I've, Nadine Menendez, Chuck Schumer, Cory Booker, Kim, Sherrill, Matthew Platkin, Platkin Organizations: WASHINGTON — New, WASHINGTON — New Jersey Gov, Democratic, New, New Jersey Democrats, Reps, Prosecutors, U.S, New York Democrat, Senate, Democrats, U.S . Senate, Sherrill . New, Southern Locations: WASHINGTON —, WASHINGTON — New Jersey, New Jersey, America, Jersey, New York, Sherrill ., Sherrill . New Jersey

As the day went on after the bombshell indictment, Democrats began bailing on their legally troubled colleague. The indictment said Menendez used his position to help the business executives as well. The indictment includes cinematic, almost comical details about the payoffs Menendez is said to have accepted. Some of the cash was stashed in jackets that were embroidered with the words "Robert Menendez" or "Senator Menendez." At one point, the indictment said, Menendez did a Google search for "kilo of gold price."

Persons: Bob Menendez, Menendez, –, Donald Trump, Joe Biden's, Phil Murphy, ” Murphy, Craig Coughlin, Leroy Jones, Andy Kim, Mikie Sherrill, Tom Malinowski, Noah Bookbinder, taints Menendez, Bookbinder, ”, Trump, fundraised, Ron Filipkowski, they're, Ron DeSantis's, Lisa McCormick, Ross Baker, Murphy, Baker, Nadine Menendez, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, Fred Daibes, Nadine, Biden, Daibes, “, Damian Williams, Robert Menendez, Uribe, Hana Organizations: GOP, Department of Justice, Republicans, Democratic Gov, New, New Jersey Democrats, Democratic, Senate, Democrats, Senate Foreign Relations, Justice, U.S, Republican, Florida Gov, Foreign, Rutgers University, Benz, Embassy, of, Department of Agriculture, Manhattan U.S Locations: New Jersey, Washington, Sarasota , Florida, Menendez's, Jersey, Florida, Tahesha, U.S, Cairo, Egypt, Southern, of New York, Manhattan

☆ Sen. Bob Menendez Googled 'how much is one kilo of gold worth' around the time his wife accepted alleged bribes, indictment says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Bob Menendez Googled the price of "kilos of gold" during an alleged bribery scheme, an indictment claims. The senator's most recent financial disclosure showed that his wife continued to own gold bars. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe indictment claims that gold bars were part of the hundreds of thousands in bribes the couple accepted. Menendez previously amended his Senate financial disclosure reports to report that Nadine Menendez, his wife, had gold bars worth as much as $250,000 in 2020, The New York Times reported. His most recent financial disclosure shows his wife continued to have up to $250,000 in gold bars.

Persons: Sen, Bob Menendez, Prosecutors, Menendez, MENENDEZ, Fred Daibes, Daibes, Nadine Menendez, Will Hana, Nadine Menendez's Organizations: Service, Democrat, Foreign Relations, Google, Prosecutors, New, New Jersey Democrat, The New York Times, Senators Locations: Wall, Silicon, New Jersey, Egypt, Jersey

☆ Gold bars, cash, and an air purifier: The 8 alleged bribes Sen. Bob Menendez and his wife took, ranked
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | Taylor Berman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The group, prosecutors alleged in a 39-page indictment, participated in a bribery conspiracy. Air purifierThe air purifier is another item Hana allegedly purchased for the Menendezes in "early 2021," according to the indictment. Home mortgage paymentsThe indictment, rudely, points out that Nadine Menendez was unemployed when she started dating the senator, in 2018. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe businessmen allegedly arranged to give Nadine Menendez the car in early 2019, which was before they allegedly arranged her mortgage payments. Nadine Menendez allegedly took these photos of gold bars on the same day she took them to a person referred to only as "The Jeweler" in the indictment.

Persons: Sen, Bob Menendez, US Sen, Nadine Menendez, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, Fred Daibes, Menendez, Hana —, New Jersey —, Hana, HANA, Nadine, Daibes, Cash, envelops, It's, Uribe, Nadine Menendez texted Uribe, Nadine texted, John F Organizations: Service, US, Bob Menendez of New, Prosecutors, Air, Cash, Attorney's, AP, Mercedes, Benz, Kennedy, FBI Locations: Egypt, Wall, Silicon, Manhattan, Bob Menendez of, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, New Jersey

CNN —New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez was charged on Friday with corruption-related offenses for the second time in 10 years. Menendez and his wife, Nadine Arslanian Menendez, are accused of accepting “hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes” in exchange for the senator’s influence, according to the newly unsealed federal indictment. This is the second set of corruption charges levied against Menendez by the Justice Department in a decade. Beginning in April, his wife sold gold bars worth as much as $400,000, according to the senator’s most recent financial disclosure form. Sen. Bob Menendez, his wife Nadine and Jose Uribe pictured in the indictment released Friday.

Persons: New Jersey Democratic Sen, Bob Menendez, Menendez, Nadine Arslanian Menendez, Cash, ”, ” Menendez, Nadine, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, Fred Daibes, Hana, Sen, MENENDEZ, Menendez ’, Jose, Uribe, Prosecutors, Salomon Melgen, Melgen, Donald Trump Organizations: CNN, New, New Jersey Democratic, Prosecutors, Justice Department, Senate Democratic, Foreign Relations, Court Southern District of, Department of Agriculture, of Agriculture, Agriculture Department, EG, Hyatt, Court Southern District of New, The Justice Department, “ Locations: New Jersey, Court Southern District of New York, Jersey, Egypt, Washington, Paris

☆ Read the Robert Menendez Indictment
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

the purpose of his meeting with MENENDEZ was to consider a potential candidacy for U.S. Attorney in New Jersey. After the meeting, the Candidate informed MENENDEZ that he might have to recuse himself from the DAIBES prosecution as a result of a matter he had handled in private practice involving DAIBES. MENENDEZ also told the Candidate that MENENDEZ would be recommending a different individual for the position. Instead of the Candidate, ROBERT MENENDEZ, the defendant, recommended a different individual for U.S. Attorney. Subsequently, the Advisor informed MENENDEZ that the Advisor believed that the Candidate would likely not have to recuse from the prosecution of DAIBES.

Persons: MENENDEZ, FRED DAIBES, DAIBES, ROBERT MENENDEZ, texted MENENDEZ, you'll Organizations: U.S, Attorney, Attorney's, District, White Locations: New Jersey, U.S

☆ If Bob Menendez wanted to legally get rich while being a senator, he could've just written a more popular book
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Sen. Bob Menendez took bribes of cash, gold, and other luxury items, according to a new indictment. But there's a way more legal way to make money as a senator — just write a best-selling book! AdvertisementAdvertisementBut there's a totally legal way to make extra money — sometimes way more money than the $174,000 salary — as a sitting member of Congress. That would seem to indicate that Menendez's book wasn't exactly a cash cow for him. Perhaps if he had run for president, as many of the top book-sellers in the Senate have, he could've written another book and made more money, the legal way.

Persons: Sen, Bob Menendez, —, Menendez, hasn't, Nadine, Mercedes, It's, Democratic Sen, Raphael Warnock of, Republican Herschel Walker, Bernie Sanders, Eva Longoria, Kris Connor, Peter Eisner Organizations: Service, New, New Jersey Democrat, Benz, Democratic, Republican, Capitol, National Museum of Locations: Wall, Silicon, New Jersey, Egypt

☆ Student-loan borrowers eligible for debt cancellation might be 'forced back into repayment' anyway because of their servicer's poor customer service, 6 Democratic senators say
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Six Democratic lawmakers requested the Education Department look into student-loan company MOHELA. They said they're concerned with paperwork delays that could force borrowers who qualify for PSLF relief back into repayment. Federal student-loan payments are resuming on October 1. "With the restart of repayments, these issues are likely to worsen for borrowers," the lawmakers said in the letter. "Borrowers who are eligible to have their debt cancelled under the PSLF program should not be forced back into repayment due solely to MOHELA's processing delays, which cause difficult financial situations for so many borrowers.

Persons: MOHELA, New Jersey Sen, Bob Menendez, Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Secretary Miguel Cardona, they've, Angus King, Alex Padilla, Ed Markey, Cory Booker, Cardona, Katie Porter, Joe Courtney, Scott Giles, that's, Scott Buchanan, servicers — Organizations: Democratic, Education Department, Federal, Service, Secretary, Public, MOHELA, Department, Student Loan, — Locations: Wall, Silicon, New Jersey, PSLF, Sens

Colombian-born Kugler, whose research has focused on labor markets, is the first Latina to join the Fed Board in its 109-year history. The vote was 53-45, with a few Republicans supporting a nomination that was championed by Democratic Senator Bob Menendez. The Senate on Wednesday also confirmed Fed Governor Philip Jefferson as Fed vice chair and Fed Governor Lisa Cook to a second term. Jefferson's success as vice chair will hinge on his ability to help Powell manage that process. Reporting by Ann Saphir; Editing by Paul Simao and Timothy GardnerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Adriana Kugler, Jonathan Ernst, Kugler, Bob Menendez, Menendez, Philip Jefferson, Lisa Cook, Cook, Jerome Powell, Powell, Michael Feroli, Jefferson, she'll, Derek Tang, Tang, Ann Saphir, Paul Simao, Timothy Gardner Organizations: Federal Reserve, of Governors, Capitol, REUTERS, U.S, Senate, Bank, Fed Board, Democratic, Wednesday, Jefferson, JPMorgan, Fed, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Cuban, United States, U.S

The head of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee has asked the country's top three oilfield services companies to explain why they continued doing business in Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, and demanded that they commit to “cease all investments” in Russia's fossil fuel infrastructure. Sen. Bob Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, cited an Associated Press report that the companies — SLB, Baker Hughes and Halliburton — helped keep Russian oil flowing even as sanctions targeted the Russian war effort. Much of Russia’s oil is hard to reach, and analysts say that had U.S. oilfield services companies all pulled out, its production would have taken an immediate hit. Halliburton wound down its Russia operations less than six months after the invasion, while Baker Hughes sold its oilfield services business in Russia after about nine months. In contrast, oil majors such as Shell and BP announced they would quit Russia within days or weeks of the invasion, writing off billions of dollars.

Persons: Sen, Bob Menendez, SLB, Baker Hughes, Halliburton —, B4Ukraine, Menendez, Joe Biden, Halliburton, Moira Duff, Duff, ” Halliburton, Brad Leone, ”, Eleanor Nichol Organizations: U.S . Senate Foreign Relations, Associated Press, AP, Schlumberger, Congress, Shell, BP Locations: Russia, Ukraine, New Jersey, American, U.S

☆ Prosecutors Weigh Charges Against Sen. Bob Menendez
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Corinne Ramey | Aruna Viswanatha | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones, 5c56755d

☆ Federal student-loan balances will start growing again in one month when interest returns
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In October, student-loan borrowers will start making payments again. The Education Department announced a number of steps to ease the transition back into repayment. In March 2020, former President Donald Trump first implemented the student-loan payment pause, with waived interest, to give millions of federal borrowers financial relief during the pandemic. An Education Department spokesperson confirmed in June that there is no leeway with that provision. "Student loan interest will resume starting on September 1, 2023, and payments will be due starting in October," a department spokesperson said.

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Biden, —, Massachusetts Sen, Elizabeth Warren, New Jersey Sen, Bob Menendez, servicers, Virginia Foxx, Sen, Bill Cassidy —, doesn't, Cassidy, we'll, Miguel Cardona Organizations: The Education Department, Service, Federal, An Education Department, Education Department, Higher, SAVE, Democratic, House, Department Locations: Wall, Silicon, Massachusetts, New 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

☆ A Senator’s New Wife and Her Old Friends Draw Prosecutors’ Attention
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Tracey Tully | More About Tracey Tully | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

But their whirlwind romance has taken a sudden dark turn. Mr. Menendez, the 69-year-old Democratic chairman of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, is under investigation by the Justice Department for the second time in less than a decade. And this time, his wife is also in prosecutors’ cross hairs. Unlike her husband, who took a seat on a New Jersey school board as a 20-year-old and rose to prominence in Hudson County’s famously sharp-elbowed political scrum, Ms. Menendez, 56, has lived a mainly private life. She is described by friends, acquaintances and two former lawyers in much the same way: social, smart and highly fashion-conscious.

Persons: Menendez, Ms, Hudson County’s Organizations: Foreign Relations, Justice Department, U.S, New York University Locations: Manhattan, New Jersey, New, Bergen County, N.J

☆ Niger response: 'Washington has to thread a very difficult needle'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —The United States and its Western allies are faced with a difficult conundrum as they navigate potential responses to the military takeover in Niger if democratic rule is not restored. Experts told CNN that punitive measures could push Niger toward Russian mercenary groups like Wagner and away from its partners in the West. US officials have said there are no indications that the organization was involved in the military takeover. We don’t really know who this new general is” who has seized power, she told CNN. Felbab-Brown told CNN that Prigozhin is trying to “personally” take advantage, given his “precarious” place following his failed revolt.

Persons: Biden, Vedant Patel, John Kirby, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, ”, Cameron Hudson, ‘, Antony Blinken, Vanda Felbab, Brown, Bob Menendez, Jim Risch, Kirby, Mohamed Bazoum, Gen, Abdourahamane Tiani, Bazoum, “, ” Hudson, Kamissa Camara, Camara, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, We’re, ” Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, “ It’s, Prigozhin, Putin, shouldn’t, ” Kirby, Blinken, United Nations Linda Thomas, Greenfield, Kamala Harris, Bola Tinubu, African Affairs Molly Phee, Hassoumi Massoudou, Mahamadou Issoufou “, Patel Organizations: CNN, US State Department, Nigerien, State Department, National Security Council, Experts, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Central African, West, Brookings, Senate Foreign Relations, Democratic, US Institute of Peace, Russian Foreign Ministry, African Union, Economic, West African States, United Nations, African Affairs, Nigerien Foreign, ” State Department Locations: United States, Niger, Russian, Africa, “ Washington, Sahel, Mali, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Niamey, “, Hudson, Russia, St . Petersburg, Moscow, Sudan, New Zealand, Nigeria

☆ Student-loan companies are putting borrowers at 'heightened risk' of harm if they fail to prepare for payments to resume, 6 Democratic lawmakers say
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Student-loan payments are resuming in October without broad debt relief. A group of Democrats asked CEOs of student-loan companies how they are preparing for the restart. They want updated information on how the companies are training customer service workers and reaching out to borrowers. Since March 2020, student-loan payments have been on pause, with interest waived, to provide borrowers financial relief during the pandemic. It announced a 12-month "on-ramp" period once payments resume during which borrowers will not be reported to credit agencies for missed payments, along with a new income-driven repayment plan to lower monthly payments.

Persons: Elizabeth Warren, Richard Blumenthal, Chris Van Hollen, Ed Markey, Sherrod Brown, Bob Menendez —, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Biden, servicers Organizations: Service, Democratic, Public, Federal Student Aid, Republicans, Biden's Education Department Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ 4 major fighter-jet deals could reshape the Middle East's biggest militaries for decades to come
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Middle Eastern countries have for decades been major buyers of advanced fighter jets. Four potential deals involving Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Egypt show that the trend will continue. Four looming acquisitions by Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Egypt show that this trend will not change any time soon. Egypt's EaglesEgyptian Air Force MiG-29s during an exercise in Sudan in May 2021. While the Russian jets couldn't exchange data with Egypt's US-made aircraft, Cairo hoped they could operate as an "air force within an air force" and partially redress its limited air-to-air capabilities.

Persons: Cuneyt, MURAD, Erdogan, Mehmet Kaman, Recep Tayyip Erdogan's, Biden, Sen, Bob Menendez, hasn't, Iran's, Vladimir Putin, Ebrahim Raisi, ALEXANDR DEMYANCHUK, it's, —, Iran hasn't, ATTA KENARE, Mohammed Reza Ashtiani, Iraq's, KARIM SAHIB, Saddam Hussein's, Ali Mohammed, KARI, ASHRAF SHAZLY, Derek Seifert, Frank McKenzie, Israel, Paul Iddon Organizations: Service, United Arab Emirates, Dassault Rafales, Dassault, Vipers, NATO Air Policing, Anadolu Agency, Getty, US, Turkish Aerospace Industries, Getty Images, NATO, Senate Foreign Relations, SPUTNIK, Army Day, Iranian Parliament's National Security, Foreign, Iranian Defense, Rafale, ISIS, Getty Images Iraq, Thales Ground, AIM, Meteor, Egypt's Eagles Egyptian Air Force, Eagles, US Air Force, US Central Command Locations: Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Wall, Silicon, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Poland, Ankara, Syria, Greece, Samarkand, Getty Images Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Soviet, US, Tehran, AFP, Iranian, Persian, Baghdad, France, South Korea, Czech, Iraqi, Balad, Sudan, Qatar, Cairo, Derek Seifert Egypt

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