Former Democrat Senator Bob Menendez, 71, sobbed in court as he was sentenced to 11 years in prison for bribery and corruption.
Prosecutors asked SDNY Judge Sidney Stein to sentence Menendez to 15 years in prison.
Bob Menendez’s lawyers initially asked for a 2-year sentence, however, after they changed it to 8 years after the judge sentenced the former lawmaker’s co-conspirators to 7 years and 8 years respectively.
#breaking: Bob Menendez now asking for EIGHT year sentence, up from the two years (or less) he asked for in writing – his lawyer Adam Fee says this is based on what happened this morning, 8 years on Daibes, 97 months on Hana. Inner City Press live tweeting below https://t.co/afqeWqUBAb
— Inner City Press (@innercitypress) January 29, 2025
Menendez sobbed as he begged Judge Stein to have mercy on him.
Menendez: I was consumed by my service, I neglected my two children [sobs] Let me give you examples… bone marrow transplant, from a sister who was a native of El Salvador-
Judge Stein: You got her a visa
Menendez: She was denied twice. I intervened, yes— Inner City Press (@innercitypress) January 29, 2025
Judge Stein eviscerated Bob Menendez and called him a corrupt politician.
Judge Stein: Almost half a million dollars in your house, cash stuffed in shoes, gold bars… Hubris, you’ll have to figure it out yourself. General deterrence is important. The sentence I intend to impose is 11 years
— Inner City Press (@innercitypress) January 29, 2025
The judge sentenced Menendez to 11 years!! This is pretty much a life sentence for 71-year-old Menendez.
The judge did not impose a fine on Menendez.
Menendez’s co-conspirators were sentenced to prison on Wednesday. Wael Hana was sentenced to 8 years and Fred Daibes was sentenced to 7 years.
Bob Menendez just arrived at Manhattan Federal Courthouse.
—Prosecutors are asking for a 15 years in prison.
Wael Hana sentenced to 8 years.
Fred Daibes sentenced to 7 years.
Both bribed Menendez and wife with cash and gold. @News12NJ pic.twitter.com/7aMqLAX4sE— Chris Keating (@ChrisKeatingNJ) January 29, 2025
Menendez resigned on August 20 after then-Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and other powerful Democrats pressured him to step down following his conviction.
New Jersey’s Democrat Governor Phil Murphy appointed his former Chief of Staff George Helmy to temporarily replace Menendez for the remainder of the term. In November Democrat Andy Kim won the senate election to serve with Cory Booker.
“While I fully intend to appeal the jury’s verdict, all the way and including to the Supreme Court, I do not want the Senate to be involved in a lengthy process that will detract from its important work,” Menendez wrote in his resignation letter to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.
“Furthermore, I cannot preserve my rights upon a successful appeal, because factual matters before the ethics committee are not privileged,” Menendez wrote.
“I am proud of the many accomplishments I’ve had on behalf of New Jersey, such as leading the federal effort for Superstorm Sandy recovery, preserving and funding Gateway and leading the federal efforts to help save our hospitals, State and municipalities, as well as New Jersey families through a once in a century COVID pandemic,” Menendez wrote.
Last summer convicted Senator Bob Menendez on all bribery and corruption charges.
The jury returned the verdict following a 9-week trial. Menendez did not testify.
In October 2023 Bob Menendez was charged with acting as a foreign agent in a superseding indictment.
The indictment filed by a federal grand jury in Manhattan claims Menendez “provided sensitive U.S. Government information and took other steps that secretly aided the Government of Egypt.”
Menendez was previously hit with a second superseding indictment for praising Qatar in exchange for luxury watches.
Bob Menendez and his wife Nadine Menendez were charged with obstruction of justice in an 18-count indictment.
Special agents discovered $500,000 of cash stuffed into envelopes in closets. “Some of the cash was stuffed in the Senator’s jacket pockets. Menendez’s wife Nadine Menendez was given a “no-show” or “low-show” job, a Mercedes Benz and other things of value, US Attorney Damian Williams said last year.
“This case has always been about shocking levels of corruption, hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in the form of cash, gold bars, a Mercedes Benz. This wasn’t politics as usual, this was politics for profit. And now that a jury has convicted Bob Menendez, his years of selling his office to the highest bidder have finally come to an end,” US Attorney Damian Williams said outside the courthouse in Manhattan last year.
Nadine Menendez is set to be sentenced in March.
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