Democrat Asks Judge To Be Let Off The Hook

Former Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) is now pushing to have his recent corruption conviction overturned, asking a federal judge to grant him a new trial after it was revealed that jurors were shown improper evidence during deliberations. Menendez’s defense attorney, Adam Fee, argues that the “serious breach” of protocol makes a retrial “unavoidable.” Fee claims that, although the error was unintentional, the government is solely responsible for the mistake and must bear the consequences.

Earlier this month, federal prosecutors acknowledged that nine exhibits presented to the jury were inadvertently loaded with unredacted material. These documents should not have been shown, as U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein had specifically ruled that they be excluded. This mistake occurred when prosecutors uploaded alternative versions of the exhibits onto a laptop for the jury to review. The government, however, insists that the error did not impact the fairness of the trial and argues that the conviction should stand.

Menendez’s attorneys, along with those representing his two co-defendants, New Jersey businessmen Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, strongly disagree. They argue that the unredacted material could have been critical to the jury’s deliberations, especially given that some of the improperly shown evidence was central to the charges against Menendez, including allegations that he acted as a foreign agent for Egypt.

Menendez, who was convicted on all 16 counts, ranging from bribery to corruption linked to his alleged foreign dealings, resigned from the Senate in August. He has maintained his innocence throughout the trial and remains committed to appealing the verdict.

One of Menendez’s co-defendants, Fred Daibes, has also filed motions, claiming that a 10th exhibit involving him contained deeply prejudicial content. The exhibit, which included a text message with a reference to Adolf Hitler, could severely damage Daibes’ case, his lawyers argue.

All three men are scheduled to be sentenced on January 29, but this latest development may prolong the legal proceedings. Given the serious implications of this case, it’s clear that the fight for justice is far from over.