New Jersey Senator Robert “Bob” Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez, are facing multiple allegations of corruption, including being indicted for taking bribes from people with connection to the Egyptian government on September 22.
Menendez is no stranger to legal trouble. In 2017 he faced corruption charges, however his trial ended due to a mistrial. He was re-elected in 2018 and now, he faces new legal challenges.
According to his indictment, the Menendezes accepted thousands of dollars from three New Jersey businessmen, Wael “Will” Hana, Jose Uribe and Fred Daibes, in exchange for enriching them and the Egyptian government. Menendez was the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when the bribes occurred.
“Those bribes included cash, gold, payments toward a home mortgage, compensation for a low-or-no-show job, a luxury vehicle and other things of value,” said the indictment.
Menendez has denied the charges and claims the charges are part of a conspiracy to bring him down. Menendez is Cuban-American, and he has claimed that people are going after him because he of his heritage.
“Those behind this campaign simply cannot accept that a first-generation Latino American from humble beginnings could rise to be a U.S. senator and serve with honor and distinction,” said Menendez.
In addition to his current indictment, a 2018 incident involving Nadine Menendez (née Arslainian) hitting and killing a pedestrian has resurfaced. She was not charged for the crash, however critics say that the investigation was biased in Arslainian’s favor, as investigators drug tested the pedestrian and not her.
Many high-profile Democrats have called for Menendez’s resignation, including Minnestoa Senator Amy Klobachar, Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock, fellow New Jersey Senator Cory Booker and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman was one of the first to call for him to step down and has called for his expulsion.
“Senator Menendez should not be a U.S. Senator. He should have been gone long ago,” said Fetterman in a statement. “ It is time for every one of my colleagues in the Senate to join me in expelling Senator Menendez.”
Despite the national attention, the news of Menendez’s scandal has not reached much of RV, with many students, like junior Bradley Fowler, claiming that they “don’t know anything” about the senator or his legal troubles.
Among students in the know, Menendez is unpopular. Many in the student body believes he should resign.
“Yes, 100% [he should resign from the senate],” said junior Lily Mount. “The U.S. people deserve better.”
Despite calls from the public and his colleagues, Menedez does not intend to resign from the Senate. He has resigned as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. However, he is staying put in his Senate seat.
“I am not going anywhere,” said Menendez.
