(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was charged on Friday with a three-count federal bribery indictment, following a lengthy and politically damning investigation by federal prosecutors.
The indictment alleges that Menendez, a close ally of President Joe Biden, accepted bribes totaling several hundreds of thousands of dollars, along with bars of gold bullion, in exchange for political favors both in the United States and abroad.
FLASHBACK: While Democrat Senator Bob Menendez was slandering Trump in 2019 for being a “Russian agent”, he himself was working on behalf of Egypt’s government.
They are always doing what they accuse others of…
In February of 2019, Menendez expressed his concerns about… pic.twitter.com/Vwz07jGJHF
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 22, 2023
The District Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York has also implicated Nadine Menendez, the embattled senator’s wife, as the middleman in this alleged criminal scheme.
The allegations brought forward by federal prosecutors ignited a damning wave of bipartisan criticism, excluding the White House, which refused to issue a statement on the scandal.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a fellow Democrat, responded to the charges, calling for Menendez’s immediate resignation.
“The allegations in the indictment against Senator Menendez and four other defendants are deeply disturbing,” Murphy said. “These are serious charges that implicate national security and the integrity of our criminal justice system. … Therefore, I am calling for his immediate resignation.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced that Menendez would temporarily step down from his chairmanship of the Foreign Relations Committee, but shied away from criticism the senator.
“Bob Menendez has been a dedicated public servant and is always fighting hard for the people of New Jersey,” Schumer claimed. “He has a right to due process and a fair trial. Senator Menendez has rightly decided to step down temporarily from his position as Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee until the matter has been resolved.”
News: Schumer says Menendez “has rightly decided to step down temporarily from his position as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee until the matter has been resolved.” pic.twitter.com/SIRkLThErX
— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) September 22, 2023
Biden, who is also facing allegations of bribery himself, refrained from commenting on Menendez’s indictment through White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. “This is an active matter, so I’m not gonna comment,” Jean-Pierre remarked.
The indictment announcement sent shockwaves through social media, with many drawing comparisons between Menendez and Biden.
“This is the federal equivalent of cops pulling Menendez over for speeding while Hunter Biden blows by them going 95mph in a car full of hookers, cocaine, and diamonds from communist Chinese oligarchs,” said Sean Davis, the founder of the Federalist.
Collin Rugg, co-owner of Trending Politics, circulated a video of Menendez accusing former President Donald Trump of being a Russian agent.
“While Democrat Senator Bob Menendez was slandering Trump in 2019 for being a ‘Russian agent’, he himself was working on behalf of Egypt’s government,” Rugg stated.
