Note: At the time this article was written, Sen. Menendez was still on trial. He has since been convicted and sentenced to 11 years in prison over the bribery scandal described in part in this article. However, as DOGE has exposed a great many forms of Congressional corruption, we think this article remains relevant because it shows how that corruption can be effected. It has been edited to reflect the fact that the trial has now occurred in the past,a nd that he has been convicted.

New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) has long been under fire for corruption, of which he was since convicted, and at the time when he was on trial, more and more allegations emerged against him.  The congressman was caught accepting bribes in the form of cash, expensive watches, gold, and more.

However, New Jersey businessman Jose Uribe testified back in June of 2024 that he had bribed Sen. Menendez with a Mercedes-Benz to gain access to his “power and influence.”  Uribe previously pleaded guilty to a slew of charges brought against him related to an alleged bribery scheme in which Menendez was involved in.

“I knew that giving a car in return for influencing a United States senator to stop a criminal investigation was wrong,” the New Jersey businessman said when he pleaded guilty earlier in 2024.  “When you bribed Robert Menendez, did you do that alone or with other people?” prosecutor Lara Pomerantz questioned. “With other people,” Uribe said.

Furthermore, Menendez is accused of sharing sensitive government information with Egypt.  According to recent reports, Uribe admitted that Egyptian American businessman Wael Hana, who is also being tried, participated in funneling money to Menendez.

Menendez has consistently maintained his innocence, denying any wrongdoing on his part. “I am more confident than ever that New Jerseyans and the rest of the American public will see me exonerated of what I am being accused of, and I will be re-elected to the Senate once again,” Menendez wrote in a statement. He was not exonerated, but rather convicted.

Moreover, the New Jersey senator will not be running as a Democrat, opting to appear on the ballot as an Independent.  Menendez expressed his anticipation that he would be exonerated, allowing him to further his congressional ambitions. “I will not file for the Democratic primary this June,” he noted in a video message. “I am hopeful that my exoneration will take place this summer and allow me to pursue my candidacy as an independent Democrat in the general election.”

Rep. Andy Kim, who is running in the Democratic Senate primary after entering the race last year, issued a statement to ABC News regarding Menendez’s indictment.  According to Kim, voters are tired of politicians abusing their positions of power for personal gain. Kim said, “Americans are fed up with politicians putting their own personal benefit ahead of what’s right for the country. Everyone knows Bob Menendez isn’t running for the people of New Jersey, he’s doing it for himself. It’s beyond time for change and I’m stepping up to restore integrity back into the U.S. Senate.”

The American Tribune reported in 2023 on another controversy surrounding Menendez when his then-girlfriend hit and killed a pedestrian in her Mercedes.  MSNBC sounded off on seemingly favorable coverage of Menendez following the incident.

“He’s lying. They don’t think of the family. They have never communicated with the dead man’s family in any way. In December of 2018, Robert Menendez’s girlfriend, who was on her way to becoming his second wife, hit a pedestrian who was crossing the street at 7:30 p.m. and killed him. His name was Richard Koop. He was 49 years old,” MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell said.