Spencer covered the corruption indictment facing Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) last month. The New Jersey Democrat was accused of accepting exorbitant bribes in return for helping Egyptian government officials. Payments towards his mortgage, luxury cars, cash, and gold bars were part of this payment plan. When federal agents searched his home, $480,000 in cash was discovered strewn about; some were found hidden in articles of clothing. The gold bars add a new level to this story.
Given the evidence presented, Menendez faces mounting pressure to resign but has remained resolute in remaining in the US Senate. That pressure might increase as a superseding indictment has now charged Menendez with being a foreign agent (via NBC News):
Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., was hit with new charges Thursday accusing him of accepting bribes to behalf of a foreign government and acting as foreign agent, according to a superseding indictment.
The new indictment, filed by a federal grand jury in Manhattan, alleges Menendez, “provided sensitive U.S. Government information and took other steps that secretly aided the Government of Egypt.”
Menendez and his wife, Nadine, last month pleaded not guilty to corruption charges alleging that he and his wife used his influence to pocket hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes.
Three other defendants — New Jersey businessmen Jose Uribe, Fred Daibes and Wael Hana — also pleaded not guilty to the corruption charges last month.
In the indictment on Thursday, federal prosecutors allege that Menendez's wife and Hana “worked to introduce Egyptian intelligence and military officials to Menendez for the purpose of establishing and solidifying a corrupt agreement.”
Will Menendez resign, or will he keep this Jordan Belfort act up and not leave?