As federal prosecutors look into his possibly illegal campaign actions, Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) is currently dealing with legal issues once more. The troubled Democrat who serves as the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee has established a legal defense fund to generate an unlimited amount of money to cover his legal costs.
Latest filings of campaign spending reveal that the senator spent $200,000 on legal expenses in 2023 alone.
According to sources, the probe relates to a federal contract with Egypt that was obtained by a meat processor in New Jersey. Senator Menendez might be in a conflict of interest if he participates in any negotiations between a foreign government and a domestic company looking to win business abroad because he chairs the committee on foreign relations.
According to sources, investigators are attempting to ascertain whether Menendez gave the New Jersey corporation any of the $2 billion in Egyptian help that the US provided.
JUST IN: Embattled Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) is raising money to stave off legal bills he expects to continue accumulating as federal prosecutors probe his campaign for potentially illegal activity.
— Proud Elephant 🇺🇸🦅 (@ProudElephantUS) April 18, 2023
Rules for thee, but for me. https://t.co/DPkvDvWVRD
Over the years, the senator has received small donations from the CEO and general counsel of the New Jersey company EG Halal. The lawyer, Aslanian Jr., was summoned last year in connection with the probe, which increased rumors that Menendez was involved in the deal.
Senator Menendez has previously been accused of sleeping with teenage prostitutes when visiting the Dominican Republic, so this is not his first legal brush with the law. The senator’s ethics have recently been under scrutiny after a corruption prosecution accusing him of taking bribes ended in a mistrial in 2017.
The office of Senator Menendez has refuted claims of improper campaign activities, but to prevent further use of campaign funds, it has established a separate legal defense fund.
However, it is unclear how much longer the senator will be able to hang onto his influential position in the Senate given his troubled past and the growing body of evidence against him.
