Bob Menendez | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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United States Senator from New Jersey | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office January 17, 2006 – August 20, 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Jon Corzine | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | George Helmy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 13th district | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office January 3, 1993 – January 16, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Frank Joseph Guarini | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Albio Sires | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Member of the New Jersey Senate from the 33rd district | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office March 4, 1991 – January 3, 1993 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Christopher Jackman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Bernard Kenny | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 33rd district | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office January 12, 1988 – March 4, 1991 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Jose Arango Ronald Dario | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Louis Romano | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mayor of Union City | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office May 20, 1986 – November 15, 1992 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Arthur Wichert | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Bruce Walter | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Robert Menendez January 1, 1954 New York City, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Democratic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouses |
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Children | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Education | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Signature | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Criminal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Criminal status | Awaiting sentencing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Conviction(s) |
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Date apprehended | September 22, 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Robert Menendez (/mɛˈnɛndɛz/; born January 1, 1954) is an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from New Jersey from 2006[1] until his resignation in 2024 following his conviction on 16 counts in a political corruption case.[2][3][4] A member of the Democratic Party and the Cuban–American lobby, he was first appointed to the Senate by Governor Jon Corzine, and chaired the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations from 2013 to 2015 and from 2021 to 2023.
In 1974, at age 20, Menendez was elected to the Union City School District's Board of Education. He received degrees from Saint Peter's University and Rutgers Law School at Rutgers University–Newark. In 1986, he was elected mayor of Union City. In 1988, while continuing to serve as mayor, he was elected to represent the state's 33rd district in the New Jersey General Assembly, and in 1991 he moved to the New Jersey Senate upon winning the special election for the 33rd Senate district. The next year, Menendez won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He represented New Jersey's 13th congressional district from 1993 to 2006. In January 2006, Menendez was appointed to fill the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Jon Corzine (who had been elected governor of New Jersey). He was elected to a full six-year term in November and reelected in 2012 and 2018.
In 2015, Menendez was indicted on federal corruption charges; the jury was unable to reach a verdict, and the charges were dropped in 2018. In 2018, the United States Senate Select Committee on Ethics "severely admonished" Menendez for accepting gifts from donor Salomon Melgen without obtaining committee approval, failing to disclose certain gifts, and using his position as a senator to advance Melgen's interests.
In September 2023, Menendez was again indicted on federal corruption charges that he aided and provided sensitive information to the government of Egypt.[5][6] He stepped down as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but refused to resign from the Senate. In October 2023, Menendez was charged with conspiracy to act as a foreign agent of the Egyptian government[7] for accepting bribes in exchange for promoting Egypt's opposition to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile and for trying to convince the U.S. State Department to adopt Egypt's stance on this issue. A superseding indictment in January 2024 accused Menendez of also working for the government of Qatar. In March, Menendez was indicted for obstruction of justice.[8] In July, a jury found him guilty of all charges.[9] He is the first sitting member of Congress to be convicted of conspiracy to act as a foreign agent.[3] Menendez resigned from the Senate in August[10][11] and will be sentenced in January 2025.
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