At trial opening, prosecutor calls Sen. Bob Menendez corrupt, saying he traded power for gold, cash

By LARRY NEUMEISTER and MIKE CATALINI
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — At the opening of U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez’s trial, a prosecutor pointed the finger at him, calling the Democrat corrupt and saying he traded his power in return for bribes of gold bars, cash and a car. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Pomerantz told a Manhattan federal court jury Wednesday that the 70-year-old New Jersey politician had delivered favors for three businessmen since 2018. The three-term senator has insisted since his fall arrest that he’s not guilty of bribery, fraud, extortion and acting as a foreign agent of Egypt. Menendez is on trial with two of the businessmen. A third has pleaded guilty and is cooperating. Menendez’s wife, also charged, is to be tried in July.