{"id":2291429,"date":"2024-07-09T18:51:01","date_gmt":"2024-07-09T22:51:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bob-menendez-lawyer-tells-jurors-there-is-no-direct-evidence-linking-senator-to-bribes-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-07-09T18:54:13","modified_gmt":"2024-07-09T22:54:13","slug":"bob-menendez-lawyer-tells-jurors-there-is-no-direct-evidence-linking-senator-to-bribes-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bob-menendez-lawyer-tells-jurors-there-is-no-direct-evidence-linking-senator-to-bribes-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Bob Menendez lawyer tells jurors there is no direct evidence linking senator to bribes &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">34<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbob-menendez-lawyer-tells-jurors-there-is-no-direct-evidence-linking-senator-to-bribes-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2291429&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses the closing arguments in the \u200ctrial of Sen. Bob\u2062 Menendez, who is facing charges of bribery and corruption. His defense attorney argues\u2064 that there \u200bis no direct\u200c evidence linking Menendez to the \u2064alleged crimes. The prosecution claims that Menendez used his position to receive bribes\u200d in exchange for favors. If convicted, Menendez\u2063 could face 20 years in prison. The trial has been ongoing for eight weeks, with Menendez&#8217;s co-defendants \u2064also facing charges.\u200c Prosecutors presented \u200bvarious \u2064pieces\u2063 of evidence to support their case, including text messages and witness testimony. The \u200cdefense argues that Menendez\u2062 was unaware of some of \u200bthe \u2062alleged bribes.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><a class=\"tdb-logo-a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" title=\"Washington Examiner\"><span class=\"tdb-logo-img-wrap\"><\/span><span class=\"tdb-logo-text-wrap\"><span class=\"tdb-logo-text-title\">Washington Examiner<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\">\n<div class=\"tdb-search-form-inner\"><input class=\"tdb-head-search-form-input\" placeholder=\" \" type=\"text\" value name=\"s\" autocomplete=\"off\"><button class=\"wpb_button wpb_btn-inverse btn tdb-head-search-form-btn\" title=\"Search\" type=\"submit\"><span>Search<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><a class=\"tdb-logo-a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" title=\"Washington Examiner\"><span class=\"tdb-logo-img-wrap\"><\/span><span class=\"tdb-logo-text-wrap\"><span class=\"tdb-logo-text-title\">Washington Examiner<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Bob Menendez lawyer tells jurors there is no direct evidence linking senator to bribes<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-author-name-wrap\"><span class=\"tdb-author-by\">By<\/span> <a class=\"tdb-author-name\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/author\/barnini-chakraborty\/\">Barnini Chakraborty<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><time class=\"entry-date updated td-module-date\" datetime=\"2024-07-09T18:02:51-04:00\">July 9, 2024 6:02 pm<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1672648\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bob-menendez\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Sen. Bob Menendez's\">Sen. Bob Menendez\u2019s<\/a> (D-NJ) defense attorney tried to rip a hole in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-sdny\/pr\/us-senator-robert-menendez-his-wife-and-three-new-jersey-businessmen-charged-bribery\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"government's case \">government\u2019s case <\/a>against\u00a0the senator, telling jurors there was\u00a0no direct evidence tying him to allegations\u00a0of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bribery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"bribery \">bribery <\/a>and corruption. <\/p>\n<p>Adam Fee, a former assistant U.S. attorney in the same office that is prosecuting Menendez, said during closing arguments on Tuesday that the government is \u201casking you to ignore things that don\u2019t fit their theory.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">FILE \u2013 Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), left, stands at his arraignment in front of Judge Sidney Stein, far right, with his defense attorney Adam Fee, center, in Manhattan federal court, March 11, 2024, in New York. (Elizabeth Williams via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cThe government has not proven a single count,\u201d Fee said. \u201cYou heard a story. They have a story.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Fee asked the jury if they could trust the government\u2019s case based on the evidence provided.<\/p>\n<p>Prosecutors have charged Menendez, once the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, of selling the power of his office in \u201ca classic case of corruption on a massive scale.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He is also accused of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars, luxury convertible, furniture, and 13 gold bars in exchange for steering aid to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/egypt\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Egypt<\/a>, facilitating a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3008652\/bob-menendez-trial-halal-meat-monopoly\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bob-menendez-trial-lawyers-for-co-defendants-say-gifts-were-not-criminal\/\" title=\"Bob Menendez trial: Co-defendants&#039; lawyers argue gifts were non-criminal\">halal meat monopoly<\/a><\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/its-a-cuban-thing-menendezs-sister-testifies-family-often-hid-cash-in-home-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"\u2018It\u2019s a Cuban thing\u2019: Menendez\u2019s sister testifies family often hid cash in home - Washington Examiner\">disrupting criminal investigations<\/a> on behalf of his friends and family.<\/p>\n<p>If convicted of all the charges against him, he could spend 20 years in prison. <\/p>\n<p>Menendez has been on trial for the past eight weeks.<\/p>\n<p>His co-defendants are Fred\u00a0Daibes, a New Jersey real estate developer charged with bribing Menendez and his wife, Nadine, with gold bars and cash; and Wael Hana, a New Jersey man who owns a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/closing-arguments-in-menendez-case-slated-for-monday-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Closing arguments in Menendez case slated for Monday - Washington Examiner\">halal meat certification company<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>During his closing, Fee brought up the subject of the gold bars, telling jurors Menendez knew nothing about them until his wife disclosed them. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is no evidence that Bob touched that gold, picked up that gold,\u201d Fee said. <\/p>\n<p>Prosecutors had pointed to internet searches Menendez made about the price of gold to suggest he knew about the gold bars. Fee countered that all the search history showed is that he looked up the price after he learned Nadine Menendez was going to sell her personal gold to make payments on her home.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is Nadine telling her husband in black and white, \u2018I\u2019ve got the gold, I\u2019m selling the gold, I\u2019m going to pay off my mortgage,&#8217;\u201d Fee said. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nadine Menendez and Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), arrive at Manhattan federal court, Monday, March 11, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo\/Jeenah Moon)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Prosecutors spent three hours Tuesday and two on Monday wrapping up their closing arguments against the senator. <\/p>\n<p>Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Monteleoni\u00a0walked jurors through\u00a018 charges in exhaustive detail, going over videos, phone messages, dozens of text messages, photos, and witness testimony. <\/p>\n<p>In the end, he told jurors not to\u00a0\u201close sight of the forest for the trees.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt all boils down to a classic case of corruption on a massive scale,\u201d Monteleoni said. <\/p>\n<p>He also brought up testimony from the government\u2019s star witness, Jose Uribe, a New Jersey businessman who pleaded guilty to bribing Bob Menendez. <\/p>\n<p>Urbie told jurors he bought Nadine Menendez a Mercedes-Benz convertible and that in turn, she set up a meeting between the two so Uribe could\u00a0get the senator\u2019s help in killing a criminal investigation into the business of a family friend and his son. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou know I saved your ass twice,\u201d Uribe testified that he told Bob Menendez over dinner. \u201cNot one but twice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Prosecutors also presented evidence that showed Bob Menendez helped pals Daibes and Hana with business deals.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/california\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER \">CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Daibes and Hana are on trial with Bob Menendez. All have pleaded not guilty. <\/p>\n<p>Nadine Menendez was arrested and charged as well. Her trial has been delayed as she recovers from breast cancer. <\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1672648\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1672648\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><a class=\"tdb-logo-a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" title=\"Washington Examiner\"><span class=\"tdb-logo-img-wrap\"><\/span><span class=\"tdb-logo-text-wrap\"><span class=\"tdb-logo-text-title\">Washington Examiner<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<p><\/body><\/html><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bob Menendez&#8217;s defense attorney argued that there is no direct evidence connecting the senator to allegations of bribery and corruption during the closing arguments of his trial. The government has accused Menendez of using his position for personal gain, but the defense claims that the evidence presented is circumstantial and does not prove his guilt. The prosecution, on the other hand, emphasized the testimony of a key witness who claimed to have bribed Menendez and his wife, as well as evidence of Menendez helping his friends with business deals. Both Menendez and his co-defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2646,"featured_media":2291430,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/bobmenendez73.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[34429,15211,4742],"class_list":["post-2291429","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-bob-menendez","tag-jurors","tag-lawyer"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/bobmenendez73.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2291429","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2646"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2291429"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2291429\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2291430"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2291429"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2291429"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2291429"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}