Sen. Bob Menendez traded power for gold, cash, prosecutor alleges

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’s lawyer told jurors that Menendez was an American patriot and that he accepted no bribes and committed no crime. Menendez is on trial with two of the businessmen. A third has pleaded guilty and will testify. Menendez’s wife, also charged, is to be tried in July.