U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) delivers remarks, after he and his wife Nadine Menendez were indicted on bribery offenses in connection with their corrupt relationship with three New Jersey businessmen, in Union City, New Jersey, U.S., September 25, 2023.
Mike Segar | Reuters
WASHINGTON — Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey suggested Monday that the cash seized by federal investigators from his home came from his personal savings account.
“I have withdrawn thousands of dollars in cash from my personal savings account, what I have kept for emergencies and because of the history of my family facing confiscation in Cuba,” Menendez said during a press conference on Monday.
“Now this may seem old-fashioned but these were monies drawn from my personal savings account based on the income that I have lawfully derived,” he added.
Menendez and his wife were indicted on federal bribery charges in New York last week. Prosecutors accused the 69-year-old Democrat and his spouse of allegedly accepting lavish bribes including, hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, gold bars, a Mercedes-Benz car and mortgage payments.
Investigators armed with a warrant to search Menendez’s home in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, found more than $480,000 in cash “hidden in clothing, closets, and a safe,” according to the three-count indictment.
Menendez, who spoke for approximately 25 minutes in both English and Spanish, did not address the gold bars found in his home.
“Prosecutors get it wrong sometimes,” he said, reiterating that he did not plan on resigning.
“I recognize this will be the biggest fight yet, but as I have stated throughout this whole process, I firmly believe that when all the facts are presented, not only will I be exonerated, but I still will be New Jersey’s senior senator,” he added, without taking any questions.
U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) attends to deliver remarks, after he and his wife Nadine Menendez were indicted on bribery offenses in connection with their corrupt relationship with three New Jersey businessmen, in Union City, New Jersey, U.S., September 25, 2023.
Mike Segar | Reuters
The indictment, which was unsealed on Friday, also alleges that Menendez “provided sensitive U.S. government information and took other steps that secretly aided the government of Egypt.”
Read more: Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey and his wife charged with bribery
Menendez has previously denied wrongdoing and has said in a statement Friday evening that he will fight the charges of bribery and corruption, which he described as “an active smear campaign.”
“I am not going anywhere,” Menendez said. “Those who believe in justice believe in innocence until proven guilty. I intend to continue to fight for the people of New Jersey with the same success I’ve had for the past five decades,” he added.
Over the weekend, Menendez hired attorney Abbe Lowell to represent him in the federal bribery cases.
Lowell, who previously represented the Democrat senator in federal corruption charges in 2015, is also currently defending President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden on federal tax and firearm charges.
