NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez returned to court docket Monday and entered a not responsible plea to a cost alleging that he conspired to behave as an agent of the Egyptian authorities when he chaired the Senate Overseas Relations Committee.
Menendez, 69, made the plea throughout his first look earlier than Choose Sidney H. Stein at Manhattan federal court docket. Stein is anticipated to preside over a trial tentatively scheduled for Could.
Stein stated the plea was the only real function for the listening to and adjourned the previous after about 5 minutes.
The New Jersey Democrat stepped down from his highly effective put up main the Senate committee after he was charged final month. Prosecutors stated the senator and his spouse, Nadine Menendez, accepted bribes of money, gold bars and a luxurious automotive over the previous 5 years from three New Jersey businessmen in change for a wide range of corrupt acts.
The opposite defendants entered not responsible costs to a superseding indictment final week. The senator was permitted to delay his arraignment so he may are likely to Senate duties. He has stated that all through his life he has been loyal to the USA and that he’ll show he’s harmless.
Menendez has resisted calls from greater than 30 Democrats to resign.
The rewritten indictment added a cost alleging that the senator, his spouse and one of many businessmen conspired to have Menendez act as an agent of the federal government of Egypt and Egyptian officers.
As a member of Congress, Menendez is prohibited from performing as an agent for a overseas authorities.
Menendez is accused of passing data to the Egyptians in regards to the workers on the U.S. embassy in Cairo, ghostwriting a letter on Egypt’s behalf supposed to affect fellow senators and urging the U.S. State Division to get extra concerned in worldwide negotiations to dam a dam venture Egypt opposed, amongst different issues.
Final week, Nadine Menendez and a businessman, Wael Hana, pleaded not responsible to the superseding indictment.
Each of them have been charged with conspiring with the senator to make use of him as an agent of the federal government of Egypt and its officers. The cost carries a possible penalty of as much as 5 years in jail.
Each of them have been charged with conspiring with the senator to make use of him as an agent of the federal government of Egypt and its officers. The cost carries a possible penalty of as much as 5 years in jail.
