(DCWatchdog.com) – The legal troubles for Democrat US Senator Robert Menedez have intensified with new bribery accusations, as revealed in a recent superseding indictment.
Menendez, already embroiled in criminal charges of acting as a foreign agent for the Egyptian government, is now accused of engaging in a corruption scheme that favored Qatar, extending from 2021 to 2023.
This latest development, as announced by the Justice Department, alleges that Menendez accepted bribes and gifts to assist Qatar. Specifically, he is accused of introducing a member of the Qatari royal family and a principal of the Qatari Investment Co. to a New Jersey businessman, Fred Daibes.
This introduction preceded the company’s multi-million-dollar investment in a real estate project spearheaded by Daibes. Both Menendez and Daibes, along with others implicated in the indictment, have pleaded not guilty.
The gravity of these allegations is underscored by the fact that no additional charges were necessary in this updated indictment. It already includes a conspiracy to bribe Menendez and his wife with cash, gold bars, and a luxury car.
The indictment details how Menendez sought to persuade the Qatari Investment Co. to invest with Daibes, including making public statements supportive of the Qatari government, which were then provided to Daibes for further use with the Qatari investor and a government official.
Menendez’s response to these mounting accusations has been to relinquish his position as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. However, he has resisted growing calls for his resignation from the Senate.
The case, presided over by Judge Sidney H. Stein, is set for a trial date of May 5. Despite defense lawyers’ requests for more time, citing over 6.7 million documents in the case, the judge has refused to postpone the trial.
This case represents a significant development in the ongoing scrutiny of foreign influence in American politics, particularly involving high-ranking officials like Menendez.
