One sentence summary – U.S. Senator Robert Menendez has temporarily stepped down as head of the foreign relations committee following bribery charges against him and his wife, who are accused of accepting bribes in exchange for providing aid to Egypt’s government; Menendez denies the charges and believes they are politically motivated.
At a glance
- Senator Robert Menendez has temporarily stepped down as head of the foreign relations committee.
- He and his wife are accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes.
- The bribes were allegedly given in exchange for providing aid to the government of Egypt.
- Menendez denies any wrongdoing and rejects calls to resign from his Senate seat.
- Several prominent Democrats have called for Menendez’s resignation, but he has vowed not to resign.
The details
U.S. Senator Robert Menendez has temporarily stepped down from his position as head of the foreign relations committee.
This decision follows charges of bribery that have been leveled against him and his wife.
The couple is accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes.
These bribes were allegedly given in exchange for providing aid to the government of Egypt.
Denial of Wrongdoing
Despite these charges, Menendez has denied any wrongdoing.
He has also rejected calls to resign from his Senate seat.
Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer has announced that Menendez will step down as chairman of the committee.
This decision will remain in effect until the matter is resolved.
Past Legal Issues
This is not the first time Menendez has faced legal issues that have led him to give up his position on the foreign relations panel.
In the interim, Maryland Democrat Ben Cardin is expected to temporarily fill the vacancy left by Menendez.
The charges against Menendez and his spouse include accepting cash, gold, mortgage payments, and a luxury vehicle from three businessmen.
Prosecutors allege that Menendez exploited his position as a senator for influence-peddling.
Both Menendez and his wife face three criminal counts related to bribery, fraud, and extortion.
Menendez strongly believes that the allegations are politically motivated.
He expects the matter to be resolved in his favor.
Call for Resignation
Several prominent Democrats, including New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, have called for Menendez’s resignation.
However, Menendez has vowed that he will not resign.
If Menendez were to resign, the governor of New Jersey would appoint a temporary replacement.
As of now, the White House has not commented on the situation.
The indictment against Menendez comes after a lengthy investigation by the Department of Justice.
During the investigation, federal agents found evidence of bribery agreements at Menendez’s home.
This evidence included cash, a luxury vehicle, and gold bars.
Menendez and his wife have been requested to forfeit several assets, including their home.
The co-defendants are scheduled to appear in court on September 27th.
In summary, Senator Robert Menendez has temporarily stepped down as head of the foreign relations committee due to bribery charges.
Menendez and his wife are accused of accepting various forms of bribes in exchange for aiding Egypt’s government.
Despite calls for his resignation, Menendez denies the charges and believes they are politically motivated.
The situation is currently being investigated, and Menendez has vowed not to resign.
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bbc.co.uk |
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– US Senator Robert Menendez has temporarily stepped down as head of the foreign relations committee as he faces bribery charges – Menendez and his wife are accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in exchange for aid to Egypt’s government – Menendez has denied the charges and rejected calls to resign his seat – Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer announced that Menendez will step down as chairman of the committee until the matter is resolved – |
This is not the first time Menendez has had to give up his position on the foreign relations panel due to legal issues – Maryland Democrat Ben Cardin is expected to temporarily fill the vacancy – Menendez and his spouse are accused of accepting bribes of cash, gold, mortgage payments, and a luxury vehicle from three businessmen – Prosecutors allege that Menendez used his position as a senator to enable influence-peddling – Menendez and his wife each face three criminal counts related to bribery, fraud, and extortion – Menendez has portrayed the allegations as politically motivated and believes the matter will be resolved in his favor – Several top Democrats, including New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, have called for Menendez’s resignation – If Menendez resigns, the governor of New Jersey would appoint a temporary replacement – The White House has not commented on the situation – Menendez has vowed that he will not resign – The indictment comes after a years-long justice department investigation – Federal agents found evidence of bribery agreements at Menendez’s home, including cash, a luxury vehicle, and gold bars – Menendez and his wife have been asked to forfeit several assets, including their home – The co-defendants are scheduled to appear in court on September 27th. |