According to New York federal prosecutor Damian Williams, the Democratic senator accepted between 2018 and 2022 “ hundreds of thousands of dollars » of bribes from three New Jersey residents, “ using his power and influence to protect and enrich these businessmen and support the Egyptian government “. During a search of the couple’s home, the FBI found hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash hidden in closets, a luxury car, a mortgage payment and three kilos of gold bars. Investigators accuse Bob Menendez and his wife Nadine of having obtained all this in exchange for their good offices.
Nadine Menendez would also have benefited from a more or less fictitious job in the company of a long-time friend. With him, she would have organized meetings between the senator and Egyptian military officials with the aim of promoting the sale of American military equipment to Egypt as well as aid worth several hundred million dollars.
Calls for resignation
Bob Menendez would also have lobbied to appoint a federal prosecutor favorable to one of his campaign funder friends, in trouble with the law, reports our correspondent in Washington, Guillaume Naudin. Very embarrassing accusations which pushed some prominent Democrats to call for the resignation of Bob Menendez, such as the Democratic governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy.
For the moment, as is the procedure, the Democratic senator is content to leave his position as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. He denounces false accusations. “ For years, people behind the scenes have been trying to silence me and bury me politically. “, he denounced in a press release.
In 2017, a first series of corruption accusations were brought against him and did not result in any convictions. Robert Menendez, 69, elected as a Democrat for New Jersey to the House of Representatives between 1993 and 2006, then to the Senate, is one of the most influential voices on diplomatic issues in the American capital.
(And with AFP)
2023-09-23 16:09:45
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