Sen. Bob Menendez Was Just Charged With Bribery. Read the Indictment.

The New Jersey Democrat and a top donor face years in prison if convicted.

Jay Mallin/ZUMA Wire

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On Wednesday, federal prosecutors indicted Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) on charges of bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery, honest services fraud, and making false statements. Salomon Melgen, a top Menendez benefactor and Florida opthalmologist, was named as a co-conspirator in the 22-count indictment. The feds allege that Melgen provided Menendez with private airfare and free accommodations at the donor’s luxury resort in the Dominican Republic. In exchange, Menendez helped “influence the immigration visa proceedings of Melgen’s foreign girlfriends” and pressured the State Department, Customs and Border Patrol, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to protect the doctor’s business interests.

Menendez will hold a press conference in Newark on Wednesday night to address the allegations.

You can read the full indictment here:

 

 

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“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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