In 2019, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal and his deputy Andrew Bruck had a disturbing meeting with US Senator Bob Menendez, who is being tried on charges of bribery and acting as a foreign agent for Egypt. Menendez raised concerns about the treatment of Hispanic defendants in a specific case being handled by the attorney general’s office, which caught Grewal off-guard. Menendez had called Grewal on his private line to discuss the case, but Grewal advised him to have the defense lawyer raise any issues with the prosecution team or judge.
During the meeting with Menendez, Grewal felt the senator was trying to meddle with the case involving Hispanic defendants, without explicitly naming the case or defendants. Menendez pressed Grewal about the treatment of Hispanic truckers prosecuted by the insurance fraud division in the attorney general’s office, mentioning Elvis Parra who had been indicted on charges related to insurance fraud. Despite Menendez’s inquiries, Grewal chose to not engage on the specifics of the case as he believed it was important to insulate his team from outside pressure.
In his testimony, Grewal stated that Menendez never made an explicit threat or attempt to intimidate him, but he was concerned about potential interference in the case. Menendez’s close political ties, particularly with the governor, led Grewal to worry about being on the senator’s bad side. Grewal is the government’s 14th witness in the trial of Menendez, his two co-defendants, and his wife, accused of participating in a bribery scheme to benefit associates through Menendez’s power and influence as a senator.
Prosecutors are working to establish Menendez’s involvement in a global bribery scheme, alleging that he and his wife received gifts such as gold bars, cash, and a new Mercedes in exchange for using his political position for personal gain. However, Menendez’s defense argues that he is innocent of any crimes, with his wife purportedly taking the lead in any questionable dealings. The trial has also revealed communications between the defendants discussing the case involving Elvis Parra, with more testimonies expected to shed light on the situation further.
In previous testimony, an FBI agent detailed communications among the alleged conspirators, including text messages related to the Parrs case. Nadine Menendez, the senator’s wife, asked about the charges in the case and was informed that it only involved four counts and was a relatively small indictment. The trial discusses the involvement of Jose Uribe, a businessman indicted in the bribery scheme, who is expected to provide testimony. Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, Nadine Menendez’s trial has been delayed due to her recent breast cancer diagnosis. Throughout the trial, questions have been raised about potential interference in the case by Menendez and his associates.
