The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for July 18, 2024
Today’s Script
(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
U.S. Senator Robert Menendez was convicted July 16th on all federal charges of conspiracy, bribery, extortion, wire fraud, obstruction and acting as a foreign agent in schemes involving an Egyptian-American businessman and a New Jersey developer.
Damian Williams, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said after the verdict, “This wasn’t politics as usual, this was politics for profit.”
In exchange cash and gold bars, Menendez used his influence as chair of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee to procure exclusive import of halal processed meat products into Egypt. The New Jersey Monitor reports that Menendez then signed off on billions in U.S. military aid to the government of Egypt, despite the country’s deteriorating human rights record.
The businessmen were found guilty of conspiracy and bribery, and Menendez’s wife, Nadine, will face trial after completing cancer treatment. She allegedly acted as an intermediary in the transactions. Menendez and the businessmen will be sentenced Oct. 29th. A fifth conspirator, Jose Uribe, cooperated with authorities. Menendez pressured the New Jersey Attorney General’s office to drop an insurance fraud case involving Uribe in exchange for a new Mercedes convertible for his wife Nadine.
Menendez vows to appeal. He remains on the 2024 New Jersey ballot, and while he stepped down as chair, remains on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. We have a link to the jaw-dropping corruption indictment at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
U.S. Justice Department – U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, His Wife, And Three New Jersey Businessmen Charged With Bribery Offenses
U.S. District Court, Southern District of NY (via NJ Monitor) – Superceding Indictment for U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, Nadine Arslanian Menendez, Fred Daibes, and Wael Hana
New Jersey Monitor – Sen. Menendez convicted of bribery, all other charges in federal corruption trial
American Democracy Minute – Shades of Corruption: Menendez & Cuellar Prosecuted for Accepting Cash & Cars; Trump Reportedly Promises Climate Rollbacks for $1B in Campaign Contributions from Big Oil with Repercussions Unlikely
New Jersey Monitor – (2023) Experts alarmed by claims that Menendez eased military aid to Egypt
USA.Gov – How federal impeachment works
Groups Taking Action:
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Public Citizen
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