The Department of Justice named officials who will have the authority to handle classified documents required in the trial of Senator Bob Menéndez, accused of bribery and extortion.
“On the recommendation of the Department of Justice Security Officer, the Court appoints Supervisory Security Specialist Harry J. Rucker as Classified Information Security Officer and Security Specialists Daniel O. Hartenstine, Daniella M. Medel, Matthew W Mullery and Winfield S. Slade as alternate Classified Information Security Officers in the aforementioned case,” states an order from Judge Sidney Stein.
Judge Stein points out that this follows an official protocol on the protection of classified information, this after the accusations against Senator Menéndez revealed that he would have delivered “highly classified” information from the State Department to the government of Egypt.
“The Security Officer of the Department of Justice has certified in writing that each of the persons mentioned above are authorized for the level and category of classified information that will be involved in this litigation,” it was indicated.
In the judicial document on the accusations against Menéndez, confirmed by the prosecutor of the Southern District Court of New York, Damian Williams, it is established that the Democrat would have requested information from the State Department, without reporting this procedure to his own staff.
The State Department provided the information to Senator Menéndez, in his capacity as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, but he shared it with his wife Nadine – also accused – who in turn sent it to one of his accomplices and he then sent it to Egyptian officials.
The complaint specifies that the information is related to the United States Embassy in Cairo, Egypt.
An essential element has to do with military transactions with Egypt, since the accusation indicates that Senator Menéndez is accused of influencing military aid for that country and concluding arms contracts.
“At all times relevant to the Indictment, Robert Menendez, the defendant, as president or high-ranking member of the SFRC [Comité de Relaciones Exteriores del Senado]had substantial influence over foreign military sales and foreign military financing to Egypt,” it is noted.
There is no accusation on national security matters against Menéndez, but in judicial proceedings it is common for there to be adjustments in the charges as the process progresses.
The accusation
Menéndez faces, for now, three charges: conspiracy to commit bribery, attempt and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit extortion.
The indictment alleges that Menéndez and his wife, Nadine, accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from businessmen Wael Hana, José Uribe and Fred Daibes in exchange for the senator using his power in the Senate to “protect and enrich” them. as “benefiting the Government of Egypt.”
“Among other things, Menendez agreed and sought to pressure a top U.S. Department of Agriculture official in an effort to protect a trade monopoly granted to Hana by Egypt, thwart a criminal case brought by the New York Attorney General’s Office Jersey related to associates of Uribe and interrupt a federal criminal proceeding initiated by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey against Daibes,” the indictment indicates.
The Democratic senator faces judicial proceedings after paying bail of $100,000 and surrendering his passport, among other restrictions.
When will the trial be?
Senator Menéndez, his wife Nadine – also Nadine Arslanian – as well as the businessmen Hana, Uribe and Daibes will face trial starting May 6, 2024, but that is an initial date.
Judge Stein approved a first calendar that includes December 4 of this year for prosecutors led by Daniel Richenthal to deliver a first package of evidence.
The motions from Menéndez’s defense, represented by David Kolansky and Seth Farber, must be presented before January 8, 2023 with a response from prosecutors by the 29th of that month.
Although Menéndez remains a senator, he temporarily left the presidency of the Foreign Relations Committee, something reported by the majority leader, Chuck Schumer (New York), but Menéndez faces at least 15 of his party colleagues calling for his resignation from the Senate.
That call includes Dick Durbin (Illinois), the so-called “whip” of the Democratic caucus.
“I should resign,” Durbin said last week.
Keep reading:
· Senator Bob Menéndez and his wife tried to hide traces of alleged bribes, indictment indicates
· Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has no interest in running to fill Bob Menendez’s seat as senator
· They find more than $480,000 dollars and gold bars in the home of Senator Bob Menéndez and his wife