A judge in New York has approved a one-week postponement for the trial of New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez. However, Senator Menendez did not appear in court in person; instead, he participated in the proceedings via phone.
New Jersey businessmen Fred Dabies and Wael Hana made their court appearance as defendants. Their trial is scheduled to proceed simultaneously with the senator’s trial, which is now slated for May 13th.
Menendez’s wife Nadine was noticeably missing from the proceedings. Her trial has been postponed due to her attorneys disclosing that she is currently facing an undisclosed medical condition. The rescheduled trial is now scheduled to take place in July.
All four individuals have entered pleas of not guilty.
Jose Uribe, a fellow businessman, has admitted his guilt and expressed willingness to testify against the remaining defendants.
What Menendez is accused of
Menendez and his wife allegedly accepted bribes from three businessmen. These bribes included gold bars and a convertible Mercedes, which were given in exchange for political favors.
According to the indictment, Menendez and his wife Nadine allegedly accepted substantial amounts of money in bribes in exchange for assisting the three businessmen. They are also accused of conspiring to act as a foreign agent for Egypt. Additionally, Menendez has been charged with obstructing the corruption investigation.
Menendez’s defense strategy
According to recently unsealed court documents, the senator may testify that his wife did not provide him with certain information or misled him into believing that nothing illegal was happening in their communications.
Attorney Lawrence Lustberg expressed his anticipation for the trial, emphasizing the satisfaction of an expedited process. He exuded confidence in the ability to swiftly and convincingly prove the innocence of his client.
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