What’s Happening:
Recently, New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez was indicted on charges of bribery. Federal authorities accused him of taking money from foreign entities in exchange for special treatment. Both he and his wife are being accused and could face years in prison.
But the extent of what Menendez might have been doing hasn’t come into scope until now. Federal prosecutors are increasing the charges against him. He is not only being accused of accepting bribes but working for a foreign government.
From AP News:
U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey was charged Thursday with conspiring for years to act as an agent of the Egyptian government while he held a powerful role in shaping U.S. foreign policy, putting the Democrat in deeper legal trouble as he continues to reject calls to resign.
Federal authorities are now accusing Menendez of working as a foreign agent for the Egyptian government. He had previously been accused of taking bribes from Egyptian figures. Now, the DOJ is saying he worked on behalf of another government–while serving as a U.S. senator.
Menendez has maintained his innocence, but the DOJ appears to be coming down hard on him. The Democrat has even announced his re-election next year. But it does not seem as if his party is entirely on his side. In fact, some are calling for him to be kicked out of Congress.
From The Hill:
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) on Thursday called on the full Senate to vote on a resolution to expel Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) from the chamber in the wake of new charges asserting the New Jersey senator has acted as a foreign agent on behalf of Egypt.
In a surprising turn of events, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania called on the Senate to expel Menendez from Congress. He said that the fellow Democrat “should have been gone long ago,” perhaps citing his previous indictment–which resulted in a mistrial.
Sen. Fetterman referenced the recent DOJ charges, accusing Menendez of being a “foreign agent.” He said this is “not even a close call” as he urged all of the Senate to join him in this move.
If the Senate removes Menendez from office, it will create a vacancy. That could be politically advantageous for Democrats, who might fear Menendez losing re-election over this drama. Fetterman might be acting in the best interests of the party, which is desperate to hold onto its majority.
Over half of Senate Democrats have urged Menendez to resign, but it’s unclear if they will join with Republicans to vote him out. It is likely that most Senate Republicans will be on board with removing Menendez from office.
Key Takeaways:
- DOJ is now charging Sen. Bob Menendez with acting as a foreign agent for Egypt.
- This comes after he and his wife were indicted for bribery.
- John Fetterman has called on the Senate to expel Menendez from office.
