Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) may point the finger at his wife regarding the bribery charges he faces, new court records reveal.
According to recently unsealed court documents, Menendez’s legal team alleges that his wife, Nadine Menendez, withheld information from the senator, causing him to believe that there was nothing unlawful going on.
“While these explanations, and the marital communications on which they rely, will tend to exonerate Senator Menendez by demonstrating the absence of any improper intent on Senator Menendez’s part, they may inculpate Nadine by demonstrating the ways in which she withheld information from Senator Menendez or otherwise led him to believe that nothing unlawful was taking place,” the documents read.
Bob Menendez’s team wanted the information to be kept secret, as they argued that publicizing it could taint the jury pool. However, a coalition of media organizations advocated for its release, which was signed off on Tuesday by federal Judge Sidney Stein.
Elsewhere, the documents asserted that the senator is an “American patriot” targeted by an out-of-control justice system. It maintains that the allegations against him are baseless and a “distortion of the truth.” Nadine Menendez also faces charges in the bribery case.
The Washington Examiner reached out to the senator’s office for comment.
The couple was indicted last year on charges revolving around an alleged corrupt relationship with three New Jersey businessmen and the Egyptian government. Bob Menendez is accused of using his prestigious position on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to aid Egypt and provide them with confidential information.
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Bob Menendez and his wife have pleaded not guilty to the charges they face. The senator is up for reelection but has chosen to run as an independent if he is exonerated.
Last week, prosecutors agreed to postpone the couple’s trial due to a medical issue on the part of Nadine Menendez. It will now take place sometime in late summer.
