U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, along with his wife and two New Jersey businessmen, are evaluating their options after a federal judge’s ruling that didn’t favor his indictment. The ruling stated that crucial allegations in his indictment did not breach the Speech or Debate Clause or the separation of powers doctrine.
The Senator, from New Jersey, and his co-defendants are due for trial on May 6th in Manhattan. The charges against Menendez are serious and include bribery, extortion, honest services wire fraud, obstruction of justice and acting as a foreign agent while serving as a public official. All defendants have pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
Moving forward, U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein also conducted a Curcio hearing for Nadine Menendez, the Senator’s spouse, and a defendant in the case. This hearing, typically performed when a potential conflict of interest emerges in a defendant’s counsel, adds another layer of consideration to the defendants’ appeal decision.
For all the intricacies in the extended proceedings, you can read the more detailed report on the matter at Law.com.