As Judge Sidney Stein interviewed potential jurors for Senator Bob Menendez’s federal corruption trial in New York, some expressed concerns about their ability to be fair due to their prior knowledge of the case. The 70-year-old senator from New Jersey is facing charges of bribery, extortion, fraud, obstruction of justice, and acting as a foreign agent of Egypt. Some jurors cited medical reasons or conflicts with their jobs and travel plans as reasons they should be excused from the trial, while others were worried they had heard too much about the case to be impartial.
Jurors were identified by numbers during the selection process, and opening statements were yet to begin. Menendez is accused of accepting bribes, including gold bars, cash, and a luxury car, from three New Jersey businessmen in exchange for official acts. Two of the businessmen are on trial with him, while a third has pleaded guilty and is expected to testify for the government. Menendez’s wife is also expected to stand trial separately in July for health reasons. The defendants have pleaded not guilty, denying that they used Menendez’s position as a senator for personal gain.
Following his arrest, Menendez was forced to step down as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee but has remained in office despite calls from his party to resign. He has announced he will not seek reelection on the Democratic ticket this fall but has not ruled out running as an independent. Menendez faced a trial in an unrelated case in 2017, where a jury deadlocked on corruption charges. In the current case, he is accused of taking actions that benefited the governments of Egypt and Qatar in exchange for bribes, which he denies, stating that his dealings with foreign officials were not unusual.
Menendez’s lawyers have requested the testimony of a psychiatrist who examined him and concluded that he stockpiled cash in his home as a coping mechanism after two traumatic events in his life. Prosecutors oppose allowing her testimony, questioning its scientific basis and suggesting it is an attempt to gain sympathy from the jury. Judge Stein has yet to make a decision on expert witnesses. Prosecutors allege that codefendant Fred Daibes, a real estate developer, delivered gold bars and cash to Menendez and his wife to influence the senator’s actions, while another codefendant, Wael Hana, bribed Menendez to secure a lucrative deal with the Egyptian government.
As the trial progresses, Menendez remains hopeful for exoneration and has not ruled out running as an independent Democrat in the general election. Despite the legal challenges he has faced, the senator maintains his innocence and asserts that his interactions with foreign officials were not done in exchange for bribes. The trial is expected to last until July, and Menendez, along with his codefendants, maintains their not guilty pleas as they face allegations of using Menendez’s position to benefit themselves financially.
