U.S.

Politics World Opinion Media Entertainment Sports Lifestyle Video AI More Login Watch TV

New Jersey

Sen. Bob Menendez makes announcement on political

future, insists he'll be exonerated on federal indictment
Sen. Bob Menendez insists hundreds of thousands in cash found at New Jersey home came from his personal
accounts
By Danielle Wallace Fox News

Published September 25, 2023 11:39am EDT | Updated September 25, 2023 12:03pm EDT

More from Politics

7 mins ago
Sen. Bob Menendez
makes
announcement on
political future,
insists he'll be
exonerated on
federal indictment

24 mins ago
GOP moves to axe
USDA proposal
pressuring public
schools to adopt
Biden admin's
LGBTQ 'social
experiments'

56 mins ago
AOC contradicts
Biden, says
economy in 'crisis'
during union
workers speech

1 hour ago
Bob Menendez
enlists Hunter
Biden’s defense
WATCH LIVE: Democrat senator drowning in corruption allegations addresses his future attorney in bribery
The senator's highly-anticipated announcement has the potential to shake Washington to its core. case

Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., insisted at a press conference Monday he will be exonerated
on a new federal corruption indictment.

Menedez detailed his decades-long record in Congress and insisted hundreds of

thousands of dollars in cash the FBI found at his home was withdrawn from his personal
savings account.

"The allegations leveled against me are just that, allegations," Menendez said. "For anyone
who has known me throughout my 50 years of public service, they know I have always
fought for what is right. My advocacy has always been grounded. And what I learned from
growing up as the son of Cuban refugees, especially my mom, my hero, Evangelina
Menendez. Everything accomplished, I worked for despite the nay sayers and everyone
I

who has underestimated me."

"I firmly believe that when all the facts are presented, not only will I be exonerated, but I
still will be New Jersey’s senior senator," he added, falling short of formally announcing re-

In what experts tell Fox News is a risk for his own defense in court, Menendez also stood
by his political record on Egypt.

DEMOCRAT ANNOUNCES BOB MENENDEZ PRIMARY CHALLENGE IN WAKE OF LONG-

SENATOR'S BRIBERY INDICTMENT

The press conference at Hudson County Community College in Union City, New Jersey,
marks the senator's first public appearance since his federal indictment was unsealed in
the Southern District of New York on Friday charging Menendez, his wife, Nadine, and New
Jersey businessmen Wael Hana, Jose Uribe and Fred Daibes in participating in a years-
bribery scheme.
Since 2018, as alleged by federal prosecutors, the three businessmen collectively paid
hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes, including cash, gold, a Mercedes Benz, and
other things of value in exchange for Menendez agreeing to use his power and influence to
protect and enrich them and to benefit the government of Egypt.

The indictment accuses Menendez of improperly pressuring an official at the U.S.

Department of Agriculture (USDA) to seek to protect a business monopoly granted to
Hana by Egypt. The senator is also accused of taking actions seeking to disrupt a criminal
investigation undertaken by the Office of the New Jersey Attorney General related to Uribe
and his associates.

An evidence photo depicts Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, Nadine Menendez randan Egyptian official meeting at a private
dinner at the official’s home. (United States District Court )

Federal prosecutors say Menendez recommended that President Biden nominate a U.S.
Attorney who the senator believed he could influence with respect to Daibes and sought to
disrupt a federal criminal prosecution undertaken by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the
District of New Jersey of Daibes.

A photograph taken by investigators of a luxury car that was allegedly given to Menendez as a bribe. (United States District
Court for the Southern District of New York)

In June 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant at Menendez and his wife's New Jersey
home where federal agents many of the fruits of the bribery scheme, including cash, gold,
the luxury convertible, and home furnishings. Prosecutors say $480,000 in cash, much of it
stuffed into envelopes and hidden in clothing, closets, and a safe, was discovered in the
home, as well as over $70,000 in cash in Nadine's safe deposit box. Some of the
envelopes contained the fingerprints and/or DNA of Daibes or his driver, according to the
indictment.
An evidence photo shows gold bars that were gifted by Fred Daibes and found in Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez and
Nadine Menendez’s home. (United States District Court )

Other of the envelopes were found inside jackets bearing Menendez name and hanging in
his closet.

Prosecutors released photos showing bars of the Egyptian gold, stacks of cash and the
Mercedes-Benz convertible found at the house.

An image captured by federal agents of gold bars discovered in Menendez's home. (United States District Court for the
Southern District of New York)

CHRIS CHRISTIE RESPONDS ON WHETHER HE'D RUN FOR SEN. BOB MENENDEZ'S SEAT
IN 2024 AMID DEMOCRAT'S INDICTMENT

An evidence photo shows Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, Nadine Menendez, Jose Uribe and another associate at a
"celebratory dinner." (United States District Court )

Menendez has since hired attorney Abbe Lowell, CNBC reported. Lowell is also defending
Hunter Biden against gun charges amid the Justice Department's years-long tax evasion
probe.

The senator has rejected calls for his resignation bellowed by New Jersey Gov. Phil
Murphy and other Democrat members of Congress.
 An evidence photo shows envelopes of cash found in Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez’s home. (United States District
Court )

He did, however, step down from his role as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee.

Ina statement Friday, Menendez denied the allegations and condemned "how quickly
some are rushing to judge a Latino and push him out of his seat."

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"Iam not going anywhere," he said, vowing to "continue to fight for the people of New
Jersey with the same success I’ve had for the past five decades."

Menendez faced a previous federal corruption indictment in 2015, but those charges
ended in a mistrial in 2017. In 2018, the Senate Ethics Committee said he broke federal
law and rules of the upper chamber in accepting unreported gifts from a friend and
political ally. He still won reelection later that year.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Danielle Wallace is a reporter for Fox News Digital covering politics, crime, police and more. Story tips
can be sent to danielle.wallace@fox.com and on Twitter: @danimwallace.

U.S. World Politics Entertainment Business Lifestyle

Crime U.N. Executive Celebrity News Personal Finance Food + Drink
Military Conflicts Senate Movies Economy Cars + Trucks
Education Terrorism House TV News Markets Travel + Outdoors
Terror Disasters Judiciary Music News Watchlist House + Home
Immigration Global Economy Foreign Policy Style News Lifestyle Fitness + Well-being
Economy Environment Polls Entertainment Video Real Estate Style + Beauty
Personal Freedoms Religion Elections Tech Family
Fox News Investigates Scandals Faith

Science Tech Health TV About Other

Archaeology Security Coronavirus Shows Contact Us Fox Business
Air & Space Innovation Healthy Living Personalities Careers Fox Weather
Planet Earth Drones Medical Research Watch Live Fox Around the World Fox Nation
Wild Nature Computers Mental Health Full Episodes Advertise With Us Women's World Cup 2023
Natural Science Video Games Cancer Show Clips Media Relations Fox News Shop
Dinosaurs Military Tech Heart Health News Clips Corporate Information Fox News Go
Children's Health Compliance Fox News Radio
Outkick
Newsletters
Podcasts
Apps & Products

New Terms of Use New Privacy Policy Your Privacy Choices Closed Captioning Policy Help Contact Us Accessibility Statement

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2023 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or
delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset . Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions . Legal Statement . Mutual Fund and ETF
data provided by Refinitiv Lipper .