Mariah Cain, Staff Writer
Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and his wife, Nadine pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan federal court on Wednesday. 26 Senate Democrats have called for Menendez to resign following the charges. This is the second time in 10 years that Menendez has been charged with corruption. The previous was a 2015 indictment that ended in a hung jury.
The indictment states that Menendez and his wife allegedly “agreed to and did accept hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes in exchange for using Menendez’s power and influence as a Senator” to help three Egyptian Americans and benefit Egypt. Menendez has stepped down from his role as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee where he oversees foreign aid, policy, and diplomacy. “I firmly believe that when all the facts are presented, not only will I be exonerated, but I still will be New Jersey’s senior senator,” said Menendez in a press conference.
