Federal Prosecutors File Corruption Charges Against NJ Sen. Bob Menendez
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US Senate(TRENTON, N.J.) — Federal prosecutors have filed corruption charges against New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez and Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen on Wednesday after months of investigating the relationship between the two men.
Both Menendez and Melgen have denied wrongdoing in the past. Last month, the senator told reporters that he has “always conducted myself appropriately and in accordance with the law.”
The charges filed Wednesday against each man include one count of conspiracy, one count of violating the travel act, eight counts of bribery and three counts of honest services fraud. Menendez faces an additional count of making false statements.
The Department of Justice filed the charges in the District of New Jersey. Menendez will comment on the charges Wednesday evening.
The indictment includes allegations Menendez accepted close to $1 million worth of gifts and campaign contributions from Melgen between 2006 and 2013 in exchange for advocating on the behalf of the doctor, saying the senator “used the prestige, authority and influence of his status as a United States Senator to promote Melgen’s personal and business interests.”
Some of the gifts cited in the indictment include flights on Melgen’s private jet, vacations to the Dominican Republic, and $40,000 in contributions to his legal defense fund. Melgen also donated over $750,000 in campaign contributions. Menendez did not report the gifts Melgen provided on any financial disclosure forms.
The indictment also alleges the New Jersey senator used his position and his staff to advocate for Melgen’s interests, including stepping in in a legal dispute involving approximately $8.9 million of Medicare overbilling by Melgen and supporting visa applications for Melgen’s girlfriends.
Menendez is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and has been at the forefront of many of the Senate’s recent foreign policy fights. Menendez, who is of Cuban descent, is a fierce opponent of President Obama’s decision to normalize relations with Cuba. The New Jersey senator is also leading efforts to impose new sanctions on Iran if nuclear negotiators fail reach to deal – a move that has put him at odds with the White House.
Menendez is the 12th senator to be indicted while still serving in the Senate.
The last senator to be indicted was Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, who faced criminal charges due to not reporting hundreds of thousands of dollars in services he received during the renovation of his home. Stevens was convicted in 2008, but in 2009, a federal judge dismissed the conviction.
After word of the charges came down, the Newark Star-Ledger, one of New Jersey’s largest newspapers, called for Menendez’ resignation.
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