Embattled Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey attempted to explain away the wads of cash found in his home by federal investigators ahead of his latest indictment by the Southern District of New York last week.
During a press conference on Monday, Menendez, facing his second indictment for bribery and other allegations, claimed that he kept hundreds of thousands of dollars and gold bullion in his home due to Cuban property confiscations, the Daily Caller reported.
The outlet added:
Menendez, the three-term senior senator from New Jersey, was indicted on charges of bribery, fraud and extortion for allegedly receiving money from three businessmen in exchange for steering U.S. foreign policy to favor Egypt. In a press conference on Monday, Menendez defended himself against the charges and explained that the money and gold found in his home were drawn from his savings and kept “due to a history of property confiscations in Cuba.”
“For 30 years, I have withdrawn thousands of dollars in cash from my savings account, which I have kept for contingencies and because of the history of my family facing confiscation in Cuba,” he said. “These were monies drawn from my personal savings.”
While the communist dictatorship of Cuba has a reputation for confiscating the property of citizens, Menendez was never in any danger of that: He was born in the U.S. and has lived in the country his entire life.
Also, the Daily Caller noted that one of the envelopes containing money also had DNA that matched that of Fred Diabes, a co-defendant who allegedly served as a bribery conduit with Egyptian money.
🚨BREAKING🚨
Sen. Menendez speaks amidst allegations of bribery/corruption – Claims he will be exonerated
MENENDEZ: "When all the facts are presented, not only will I be exonerated, but I still will be the New Jersey's senior Senator." pic.twitter.com/P1BlAYSDox
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) September 25, 2023
“To those who have rushed to judgment, you have done so based on a limited set of facts framed by the prosecutors in the most salacious way possible,” Menendez said during his press conference. “The court of public opinion is no substitute for our justice system … I will not only be totally exonerated but also New Jersey’s senior senator.”
The indicted senator also said that he deserves to be presumed innocent until he is proven to be guilty in court. “I ask for nothing more and deserve nothing less,” he said, while asking detractors to “pause and allow for all the facts to be presented.”
In response to the accusations in the indictment pertaining to his actions in support of Egypt, Menendez claimed that he had attempted to hold Egypt responsible for purported human rights violations while in office. The indictment, however, also alleges that Menendez divulged sensitive information about the U.S. Embassy in Cairo to the Egyptian government and covertly authored letters for them to send to his Senate peers, aiming to persuade them to retract their opposition to U.S. military assistance for the nation.
“I have remained steadfast on the side of civil society and human rights defenders in Egypt,” he said. “My record is clear and consistent in holding Egypt accountable for its unjust detentions of American citizens and others … and efforts that have eroded the independence of its judiciary.”
