Menendez indictment looks bad, but there are defenses he can make
Reactions came quickly to the federal indictment on Sept. 22, 2023, of New Jersey’s senior U.S. senator, Democrat Bob Menendez.
- Reactions came quickly to the federal indictment on Sept. 22, 2023, of New Jersey’s senior U.S. senator, Democrat Bob Menendez.
- What did you think when you first read this indictment?
- In addition, as judges routinely instruct juries in these cases, the indictment is not evidence and the jury may not rely on it to draw any conclusions.
- The average reader will look at the indictment and say, “These guys are toast.” But are there ways Menendez can defend himself?
- There are a number of complex issues presented by these charges that could be argued by the defense in court.
- First, while the indictment charges a conspiracy to commit bribery, it does not charge the substantive crime of bribery itself.
- In the Abscam case, seven members of the House and one Senator were all convicted in a bribery scheme.