Sen. Bob Menendez, the former powerful Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has been found guilty on 16 counts after a two-month trial on charges that all but ended his 18-year maverick Senate career. The historic verdict marks a dramatic downfall for New Jersey’s senior senator, one of the most influential people in Washington, D.C.
Federal prosecutors accused Menendez of bribery, acting as a foreign agent for Egypt, obstruction of justice, extortion and conspiring to commit those crimes.
A vocal defender of Paul Rusesabagina, another convicted felon, Menendez pressured the State Department to pressure Rwanda to release Rusesabagina.
Menendez repeatedly cited negative reports of the discredited Human Rights Watch (HRW) — the so-called human rights advocate — whose anti-Rwanda campaign is well documented. In his campaign to release the terrorist kingpin, Menendez ignored mountains of evidence connecting Rusesabagina to terrorist organizations that periodically attacked Rwanda. HRW never uttered a word during the 1994 genocide against Tutsi, nor did Sen Menendez.
How the mighty fall. Hating Rwanda can bring bad luck. Karma is a b*tch.
Menendez, without any evidence, repeatedly accused Rwanda of using Israeli spyware to spy on so-called dissidents. He, again without proof, accused Rwanda of targeting Rwandans abroad who opposed the Rwandan government. Ignoring information provided by the FBI that Rusesabagina was funding terrorist organizations like the FDLR and his MRCD/FLN, Menendez repeatedly sought to have Rusesabagina released.
I wonder if Rusesabagina will visit his fellow convicted felon in the Big House. Now 70, Menendez is likely to spend decades behind bars when he is sentenced on October 29. At his age, this is a life sentence.
I have never been incarcerated, but I hear prison is a lonely existence. Menendez will have ample time to reflect on his anti-Rwanda sentiments.
A review of the charges against Menendez reveals the true character of the man. Hiding behind the power of his chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Menendez is certainly not the moral giant he professes to be. His Mafia-style crimes that he has been convicted of are what you would expect of low-life thieves and vagabonds — NOT a United States Senator.
After the verdict was read, standing outside the court, Menendez, with a straight face, said, “I have never violated my public oath.” Baloney.
The indictment against Menendez, his wife Nadine and three New Jersey businesspeople reveals a shocking scheme to get rich quickly. One of the co-defendants made a plea deal and testified against Menendez. There is no honor among thieves.
Menendez used the power of his office to benefit the governments of Egypt and Qatar in exchange for cash, gold bars and a Mercedes-Benz for his wife Nadine, who was also charged but did not stand trial because of a cancer diagnosis.
Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said that “this case has always been about shocking levels of corruption.” He added: “This wasn’t politics as usual. It was politics for profit.”
In 2022, the FBI raided Menendezes home and seized over $480,000 in cash, a dozen gold bars which prosecutors said were linked to bribes. Who needs a bank when pillowcases will suffice? Listen to this: Menendez’s sister who testified at the trial, told jurors that “it’s a Cuban thing.” Menendez is a son of working-class Cuban immigrants. When in a bind, blame your culture.
Ready for this? Throughout the trial, Menendez shifted the blame to his wife. Real men don’t do that.
One of the co-defendants, Uribe, who turned against Menendez told jurors that he personally bribed Menendez. He also testified that he gave Menendez’s wife a Mercedes-Benz in exchange for Menendez interfering in Uribe’s criminal case.
All along, while Menendez was criticizing Rwanda and defending convicted felon Rusesabagina, he was acting on behalf of the governments of Egypt and Qatar during his time as chair of the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Jurors were shown text messages that Menendez sent staffing information on the American embassy in Cairo to his wife Nadine who in turn sent it to Hana, the other co-defendant, who relayed it to Egyptian government officials. A real patriot.
Clearly, Sen Bob Menendez is a moral delinquent who is not in a position to criticize Rwanda. Defending a convicted terrorist, Paul Rusesabagina, is another strike against the fallen Senator. Maybe when Rusesabagina visits the two can discuss how they ended up where they did, and maybe listen to some Blues. Birds of the same feather.
