Senator Bob Menendez is back to it. In a defiant speech delivered on Tuesday, he said he “had not received” anything from Qatar in return for any favors he may or may not have performed.
.@SenatorMenendez: “I have received nothing, absolutely nothing from the government of Qatar, or on behalf of the government of Qatar to promote their image or their issues.”
Sen. Bob Menendez on Tuesday delivered a defiant and at times emotional speech, denying he had received… pic.twitter.com/bmiYQGwVol
— The Hill (@thehill) January 9, 2024
This comes just one week after the prosecutors filed a superseding complaint against Senator Menendez.
A week after the filing of a superseding charge by federal prosecutors against him, the New Jersey Democrat said that he received “absolutely nothing” from Qatar. He also criticized what he said was a relentless effort by prosecutors to get him to resign.
Menendez has cried as well at times. He said that he “suffers greatly because of these accusations.”
The United States Attorney’s Office does not engage in prosecution, but rather in persecution. Menendez said that the allegations were sensationalized and they wanted to win rather than justice.
Menendez said that he received “absolutely no” support from the Qatari Government or its representatives to promote Qatar’s image or the issues the government was promoting.
The U.S. attorney’s office has a different opinion.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office Menendez received cash, gold bars, and two tickets to a Formula One race in 2022. The prosecution claims that Menendez also received a $24,000 watch, but it’s unclear whether he received it.
Menendez stated that the claim was not supported by any evidence.
According to the prosecution, the three-term senator made and backed statements that praised the Qatari Government’s assistance in helping a New Jersey developer secure a lucrative deal.
Despite Senator Menendez’s protestations of innocence, he is losing support from his fellow Senate Democrats. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has described Senator Menendez’s conduct as “way below the standard of a senator” (and if that’s not the most ironic statement of the year, it will do until a better one comes along), and Senator John Fetterman (D-PA,) further bolstering his run to the less-left-than-most-Democrats, has called on Menendez to be ousted from the Senate.
Senator Menendez, like any other citizen has the right to a fair trial and the presumption of innocence. His peers may also be able to try him if necessary.
Senator Menendez’s primary opponent will be Tammy Murphy and Andy Kim (D-NJ), both from New Jersey. New Jersey’s First Lady. New Jersey is a heavily Democratic State, so the results of this primary are likely to be an indication of what the general election will look like.
After being indicted in October of last year, the Garden State Senator’s approval rating has dropped to single digits. He may claim innocence, but his political career is likely to end in disgrace.