Embattled Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey is expected to defiantly announce Monday that he will seek re-election — less than a week after being indicted on explosive corruption charges.
The 69-year-old Democrat issued a statement Friday, the day of his Manhattan federal indictment, insisting, “I’m not going anywhere” — despite widespread calls including from top officials in his own party to resign.
Monday’s expected press conference would be his first in-person appearance since he and his wife were charged with taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in the form of gold bars, a Mercedes-Benz convertible, cash and even exercise machines and an air purifier.
Menendez is expected to announce his plans to run for office again in 2024 — even if he needs to run outside the Democratic Party, according to the New Jersey Globe.
The longtime senator will speak in Hudson County, where he grew up and launched his political career nearly 50 years ago, but it remains unclear exactly when and where he will appear, the outlet said.
Menendez is not expected to resign during a press conference Monday but will reportedly announce plans to seek re-election in 2024. REUTERS
A Mercedes C-class sedan, gold bars and piles of cash were allegedly given to Menendez as bribes and found in his home by authorities. Steven HirschThe senator reportedly asked to speak at Colin Powell Elementary School in Hudson, where he both grew up and served as mayor, but was turned away by school officials who said they did not want him to cause a distraction during a school day.
His office went so far as to send out invitations citing Colin Powell Elementary as the conference location before being turned away, according to reports.
Menendez did not respond to requests for comment from The Post on Sunday.
Who's involved in the indictment of Sen. Bob Menendez
The New Jersey Democrat is facing charges of taking gold bars and bribes and stashing hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash around his house in return for using his “power and influence” — including his position as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee — to benefit the Egyptian government and two local businessmen.
Sen. Robert Menendez and Nadine Menendez
The New Jersey Democrat was indicted Friday for allegedly accepting a Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan, 13 gold bars and $566,000 in cash, which FBI agents found “stuffed in envelopes” after a June 2022 search of his home.
Senator Menendez’s wife, Nadine, was indicted alongside her husband for taking bribes. The Menendezes also received mortgage payments, a recliner, exercise machines and other items in exchange for shielding co-defendants Wael Hana, Jose Uribe and Fred Daibes.
Bob Menendez also allegedly attempted to intervene in a criminal case against Daibes by recommending President Biden pick current New Jersey US Attorney Philip Sellinger, who the senator believed would apply a light touch to the case.
If convicted on all charges, the Democratic senator faces up to 45 years in prison.
Fred Daibes
Menendez and his wife allegedly had a longstanding relationship with New Jersey real estate developer Fred Daibes, who court papers say bribed the couple with gold bars and cash for a series of favors, including the senator’s help disrupting a federal prosecution into Daibes.
Daibes received probation after pleading guilty last year to entering false loan information.
Jose Uribe
In April 2019, Menendez’s wife met a former insurance agent from Union City, NJ, Jose Uribe, “for five minutes.” Nadine Menendez ducked into the parking lot of a restaurant where Uribe, 56, handed her $15,000 in cash, court papers allege.
She then used the cash to make a down payment on a Mercedes-Benz C-class convertible – while Uribe asked the senator to tamper with the state attorney general’s prosecution of one of his colleagues for insurance fraud, according to the court docs.
Wael Hana
Menendez allegedly updated unnamed Egyptian officials in real-time about US military aid to the country through Edgewater, NJ, businessman Wael Hana. The businessman sent Menendez’s proposal for foreign military sale to Egypt of tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition for firearms and tanks to an Egyptian official for approval.
In early 2021, Hana allegedly used funds from his halal business to send two exercise machines and an air purifier, among other items, to the Menendez home.
In exchange for these gifts and other alleged bribes, Menendez improperly pressured a US Department of Agriculture official to protect Hana’s “exclusive monopoly,” granted in 2019, on signing off on US food exported to Egypt as compliant with halal standards, despite Hana having no prior experience with halal certification, the feds said.
Both Menendez and his 59-year-old spouse, Nadine Menendez are accused of taking the bribes in return for using his influence to further the interests of the Egyptian government and three wealthy businessmen.
Manhattan US Attorney Damian Williams alleged Menendez used his “power and influence” in the scheme and went so far as to push President Joe Biden to appoint a New Jersey US Attorney Philip R. Selinger because it was believed he could influence the criminal prosecution of one of the businessmen.
Menendez, who has served in the Senate since 2006, staunchly defended himself against the allegations after they were unsealed.
Menedez and his wife Nadine were both charged with bribery by Manhattan US Attorney Damian Williams on Friday. AFP via Getty Images“Those who believe in justice believe in innocence until proven guilty,” Menendez said in his statement.
“I intend to continue to fight for the people of New Jersey with the same success I’ve had for the past five decades. This is the same record of success these very same leaders have lauded all along,” he said.
He claimed calls for his resignation were racially motivated.
Authorities said they raided Sen. Menendez’s home in June 2022 and found stashes of cash and gold bars. Christopher Sadowski“It is not lost on me how quickly some are rushing to judge a Latino and push him out of his seat,” he said.
Despite his vows to remain in office, Menendez did step aside from his chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) confirmed Friday.
What we know about Bob Menendez's case
New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez was found guilty of federal corruption charges related to an alleged years-long scheme.
Menendez accepted bribes, including gold bars, in exchange for helping three businessmen, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe and Fred Daibes, as well as Egypt and Qatar, according to a federal jury.
Menendez and his wife, Nadine, were charged with taking hundreds of thousands in bribes, according to the Manhattan federal indictment. Their cases were separated, and hers has been indefinitely delayed because she is being treated for breast cancer.
When the feds raided the Menendezes’ Englewood Cliffs home in June 2022, they found a 2019 Mercedes C-Class, at least 13 gold bars, and $566,000 in cash “stuffed in envelopes.” Another $70,000 in cash was found in Nadine’s safe deposit box.
The feds say Menendez also received mortgage payments and paid for a low-show or no-show job and home furnishings.
This isn’t the first time the Democrat faced federal corruption charges. In 2015, Menendez was accused of taking gifts from Florida eye surgeon Salomon Melgen.
The “gifts” included a Paris vacation, flights on a private jet, and vacations at Melgen’s villa in the Dominican Republic.
That case ended in a mistrial.
Menendez allegedly accepted about $566,000 in cash bribes as well as 13 gold bars worth $150,000, a $60,000 Mercedes C-class sedan, a recliner, exercise machines and the air-purifier between 2018 and 2022
When federal agents raided his home in June 2022, they allegedly found large amounts of cash stashed throughout the house.
The senator was previously indicted on corruption and bribery charges in 2017 but got off after a deadlocked jury lead to a mistrial.
In that case, he was allegedly given about $1 million in private jet flights, vacations and other gifts in return for securing visas for Florida ophthalmologist Dr. Salomon Melgen’s foreign girlfriends.
