Bob Menendez

NY. Only a few blocks from the place the trial of former Republican President Donald Trump is going down for falsifying marketing campaign bills after being convicted of monetary fraud, one other trial begins towards Democratic Senator Robert Menéndez for appearing as an agent of international pursuits in alternate for bribes, and in Texas the method is being ready to prosecute the Democratic federal consultant Henry Cuellar for one thing related – these three have in widespread that they regularly criticized political corruption in different international locations.

In reality, each trials are historic: Menéndez is the primary senator in many years to be charged with appearing as an agent for international pursuits, the primary in 36 years to be prosecuted for bribery, and the primary in historical past to be charged in two circumstances. separated for bribery. For his half, Trump is the primary former president to face a legal trial.

Thus, with the Republican on one dock, and the Democrat Menendez – and shortly Cuellar – on the opposite, it may be concluded that corruption is bipartisan.

Former President Donald Trump. Photograph Ap

In a federal courtroom in New York, the as soon as highly effective senator who was chairman of the International Relations Committee, was accused of “placing his energy up on the market” by federal prosecutor Lara Pomerantz because the trial started. “This was about politics for revenue. “This was a paid United States senator.” He charged earlier than the jury that “for years, Robert Menendez betrayed the individuals he needs to be serving by taking bribes.”

Menéndez and his spouse, Nadine, are accused of utilizing “their affect and energy” between 2018 and 2023 to learn international pursuits and businessmen from their state of New Jersey in alternate for bribes. Among the many property confiscated in an FBI raid of his residence a yr in the past have been gold bars, about $480,000 in money – some hidden in clothes pockets – and a Mercedes-Benz convertible. Based on the indictment, that they had additionally obtained funds for the mortgage on their residence.

Menendez’s acts in alternate for these presents included favors for the Egyptian authorities to get the USA to launch navy help, makes an attempt to cease legal circumstances of two businessmen, and selling enterprise between businessmen and the royal household of Qatar.

Democratic Senator Bob Menendez. Photograph Ap

His protection lawyer argued earlier than the jury in the beginning of the trial that the proof will present that the senator “was doing his job and doing it nicely.” He insisted that he was correctly representing individuals from his group, and that within the case of Egypt, he was exercising his diplomatic position.

The protection lawyer proceeded to not solely justify his shopper’s actions, but additionally implicate his spouse within the alleged crimes. He indicated that she had “monetary issues” that she was hiding from her husband. She is accused of being an middleman between her husband, Egyptian intelligence officers and businessmen, and shall be tried individually.

Menéndez had justified the money present in numerous components of his home, indicating that it was a observe inherited from his household on account of the “traumas” as “refugees” together with the confiscation of their properties in Cuba after the Revolution (his household had already emigrated earlier than the revolution in 1953 and the accused was born in New York in 1954).

Opening arguments will proceed tomorrow in a case that can final just a few weeks. Menendez was beforehand prosecuted for bribery in 2015 however his trial concluded with out the jury reaching a unanimous conclusion. In that case, he was accused of receiving almost one million {dollars} in presents and donations, together with all-paid journeys to the Caribbean the place younger girls (some apparently underage) have been met by a corrupt physician in Florida.

Throughout his years within the Senate, and as chairman of the highly effective International Relations Committee, Menéndez repeatedly introduced himself as a defender of transparency and was a vociferous critic of political corruption in different international locations, particularly in Latin America. His place towards the Cuban authorities helped impose higher sanctions whereas he defended the blockade coverage towards the island and he accepts credit score for managing to dam doable makes an attempt by the Joe Biden authorities to renew normalization with Cuba achieved underneath Barack Obama.

Democratic legislator Henry Cuellar. Photograph Ap

He criticized Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador for in search of to blackmail President Joe Biden to incorporate “non-democratic” governments akin to Cuba and Venezuela within the Summit of the Americas. He additionally criticized López Obrador for selling undemocratic measures in reference to the reforms to the INE.

Cuellar, like Menéndez, shares the glory of being one of many first two federal legislators in historical past to be accused of appearing for international pursuits. Within the case of the federal consultant for Laredo, he was accused this month of accepting bribes of greater than half one million {dollars} in alternate for favors for a Mexican financial institution and for a state-owned firm in Azerbaijan[Thatcaseisstillfarfromreachingatrial[Esecasoaúnestálejosdellegaraunjuicio