TRENTON, N.J. – Senator Bob Menendez, who is set to stand trial in New York in May, has hired a new lawyer to represent him. The move comes as Menendez faces a series of indictments alleging bribery and acting as an unregistered foreign agent. Menendez’s new attorney, Yaakov Roth, will join his legal team in the fight against the charges.
Menendez’s current lawyers wrote in a statement that the accusations against him are “outrageously false” and distort the truth. Roth, who has previously expressed concerns about the criminalization of politics, will no doubt bring his expertise to bear in defending the senator.
Menendez himself has been adamant about his innocence and has suggested that the multiple indictments against him are part of a strategy to convict him in the court of public opinion. He argues that his interactions with foreign governments as a member of Congress should not be transformed into charges of being a foreign agent.
The senator has refused calls to resign and has not yet made a decision about whether he will seek reelection this year. However, he has lost important political support and faces a primary challenge from Tammy Murphy, the first lady of New Jersey, and Rep. Andy Kim.
This is not Menendez’s first brush with federal criminal charges. In 2017, he faced allegations of doing favors for a friend and political donor, which resulted in a mistrial. The current charges against him include accepting cash, gold bars, and a luxury car in exchange for political favors, as well as acting as a secret agent for the government of Egypt. Menendez’s wife, Nadine Arslanian Menendez, has also been charged in connection with the case.
As Menendez prepares to go to trial, his choice of legal representation will be crucial in his fight to clear his name. With Roth joining his team, the senator is hopeful that he will be able to counter the allegations against him and emerge victorious.
In summary, Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey has hired attorney Yaakov Roth to defend him against charges of bribery and acting as an unregistered foreign agent. Menendez maintains his innocence and argues that the charges are an attempt to convict him in the court of public opinion. The senator faces a primary challenge as he awaits his trial in May.