A judge warned lawyers Monday to not play legal games shortly after they were called in to start the federal corruption trial of Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J.
“There was too much skill here,” Judge Sidney Stein told prosecutors and defense attorneys before jury selection began for the trial in Manhattan federal court.
“Everyone has to act in good faith here,” Stein said, adding, “I’m not sure I saw that.”
Menendez, 70, wearing a dark suit and striped red tie along with his gold senatorial pin on his lapel, listened silently within the courtroom.
Two of his co-defendants, New Jersey businessmen Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, sat behind him. Jose Uribe, a 3rd businessman charged within the case, pleaded guilty March 1 and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.
The judge's stern words ended an exchange over some evidence that could possibly be utilized in the trial of the once-powerful senator, who’s accused of accepting money, gold bars and other gifts in return for official acts.
Prosecutors accuse Menendez of accepting tons of of 1000’s of dollars in bribes from New Jersey businessmen to learn them and the countries of Egypt and Qatar.
Menendez served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but resigned from that position following his impeachment in September 2023.
He pleaded not guilty to 16 counts, including bribery, wire fraud, extortion, acting as a foreign agent and obstruction of justice.
His wife, Nadine Menendez, can be charged within the corruption case, but her trial was separated from her husband's attributable to medical issues. Her trial is postponed until a minimum of July; She was not in court along with her husband Monday morning.
Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York told Stein that they expect to present their case in 4½ to 6½ weeks.
The trial itself could last about six to seven weeks, Stein told dozens of potential jurors, before giving them a high-level overview of the 18 charges against Menendez and his co-defendants.
The senator's federal trial began just blocks from Manhattan Supreme Court, where former President Donald Trump is on trial on charges related to a plan to make use of hush money to silence porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.
This is developing news. Please check back for updates.
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