White House rebuffs questions after Menendez accused of being foreign agent

The White House distanced itself from Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) after the former Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman was accused of being a foreign agent.

National security spokesman John Kirby would not comment on whether the White House has or is considering conducting an assessment after Menendez was charged in a superseding indictment Thursday regarding allegations he conspired to act as a foreign agent of Egypt.

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“I have nothing to update or comment on that,” Kirby told the Washington Examiner.

Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre similarly declined to comment on Menendez, specifically concerning what Biden, who chaired the same panel when he was a senator, thought of the situation.

“Is the president OK with having a lawmaker who’s accused of conspiring to act as an agent of a foreign government remain as a member of Congress?” one reporter asked.

“I just don’t have anything to say beyond what he shared,” Jean-Pierre said.

When needled a third time, the press secretary repeated that the White House agreed it was a “serious matter.”

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Menendez and his wife Nadine were indicted last month for conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, and conspiracy to commit extortion related to, among other potential crimes, accepting money from the Egyptian government and three Jersey businessmen in exchange for favorable federal policies.

The pair have denied any wrongdoing, and the senator has indicated he will seek reelection next year.