Menendez, of New Jersey, was convicted of 16 counts — including bribery, extortion, wire fraud, obstruction of justice and acting as a foreign agent —‚ for his role in a yearslong bribery scheme.
The verdict is a staggering blow for the Democratic establishment in New Jersey, where longtime state powerbroker George Norcross faces a separate racketeering indictment, and a stain on the party’s national brand. Menendez, one of the most feared and influential figures in state politics, now faces decades in prison — and further questions about how he wielded his power as the former chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.
“Obviously, I’m deeply, deeply disappointed by the jury’s decision,” Menendez told reporters outside the courtroom. “I have every faith that the law and the facts did not sustain that decision and that we will be successful upon appeal.”
He maintains he never violated his public oath and has never been anything “but a patriot of my country and for my country.”
“I have never, ever been a foreign agent, and the decision rendered by the jury today would put at risk every member of the US Senate in terms of what they think a foreign agent would be,” he said.
Damian Williams, the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, said after the verdict: “This wasn’t politics as usual; this was politics for profit.”
Menendez appeared to shake his head when the first guilty verdict against him was read. When the jury was finished, he leaned his elbows on the defense table with his hands clasped in front of his face. When the court officer announced there was a verdict and parties piled in, both Menendez’s daughter, Alicia Menendez, and his sister sat in silence, looking straight ahead and not speaking. They seemed to embrace once another.
As the senator left the courtroom, he walked over to his sister and daughter, spoke to them for a moment and left. They all had serious expressions on their faces. Menendez’s look was stern.
Verdict shakes up Senate picture
Even before his conviction, Menendez’s case sparked a revolt among rank-and-file Democrats against the state party machine, which has for decades run roughshod over outsider candidates. The race to replace him, which began shortly after Menendez was indicted, initially featured first lady Tammy Murphy. The surge of support for her from county party bosses, over the more popular Rep. Andy Kim, now the nominee, led to a grassroots backlash.
