Sen. Menendez pleads not guilty to new conspiracy charge

Sen. Bob Menendez, the New Jersey Democrat accused of conspiring to at as an unregistered foreign agent for Egypt, pleaded not guilty Monday to a new conspiracy charge.

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Menendez, who served as chair of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee before he was charged with corruption and bribery offenses last month, is accused of acting as an agent for the Egyptian government from 2018 to 2022. His wife, Nadine, and three New Jersey businessmen have also been charged in connection with the alleged scheme.

Sen. Menendez enters not guilty plea

Update 4:05 p.m. EDT Oct. 23: Sen. Menendez pleaded not guilty to conspiring to act as an unregistered foreign agent during his arraignment Monday, The Associated Press reported.

Judge Sidney H. Stein oversaw the short court appearance, which took about five minutes, according to the AP.

Sen. Menendez is expected to face trial in May. He has denied any wrongdoing and resisted calls for his resignation.

Nadine Menendez and businessmen Wael “Will” Hana, Jose Uribe and Fred Daibes pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and other charges related to the case last week, court records show.

Original report: Menendez, D-N.J., earlier pleaded not guilty to initial charges filed in the case. In a statement released Oct. 12 and obtained by Politico, the senator pointed to his “long record of standing up for human rights and democracy in Egypt and in challenging leaders of that country” and said, “Piling new charge upon new charge does not make the allegations true.”

“The facts haven’t changed, only a new charge,” he said. “It is an attempt to wear someone down and I will not succumb to this tactic.”

Authorities said the Menendezes accepted bribes of cash, gold, home mortgage payments, a luxury car and more in exchange for using the senator’s power to benefit Egypt and three businessmen, identified as Wael “Will” Hana, Jose Uribe and Fred Daibes. Investigators said they found more than $100,000 worth of gold bars and over $480,000 in cash stuffed in clothing, closets and a safe while searching the couple’s home and a safety deposit box last year.

The case marks the second time the senator has faced corruption charges.

In 2015, authorities accused him of accepting bribes from a Florida ophthalmologist. Prosecutors later dropped the case after a federal jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict.