Bob Menendez pleads not guilty to acting as foreign agent for Egypt

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) pleaded not guilty in federal court on Monday to conspiring to act as a foreign agent on behalf of the Egyptian government, the second time in as many months Menendez has had to enter a plea in response to corruption-related charges.

Menendez’s appearance in court came as a result of U.S. District Attorney Damian Williams bringing a second indictment against the senator this month over allegations he violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act while he was serving as the head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

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Menendez and his wife Nadine were initially hit with three charges in September for allegedly engaging in a corrupt relationship with three businessmen, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, and Fred Daibes.

The couple allegedly accepted bribes that included hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, gold bars, a luxury vehicle, and more, according to the indictment.

All five are co-defendants in the case and all already pleaded not guilty to the initial charges.

Three of the co-defendants, Bob and Nadine Menendez and Hana, were all also charged with conspiracy for a public official to act as a foreign agent in the new indictment. Nadine Menendez and Hana pleaded not guilty to that charge last week.

Under FARA, those conducting certain types of business in the interest of a foreign principle must register with the Department of Justice and make periodic disclosures about their business. Registering under FARA as a senator is a violation of the Senate’s ethics code.

The indictment details how Bob Menendez, who served as the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee for six consecutive years, allegedly used his authority to help Egyptian officials secure U.S. aid related to foreign military sales and financing in exchange for bribes.

He stepped down as committee chairman in the wake of the initial indictment news last month.

Menendez said in a statement when he was charged with the FARA violation that he has been “loyal to only one country — the United States of America.”

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“Piling new charge upon new charge does not make the allegation true. … It is an attempt to wear someone down and I will not succumb to this tactic,” Menendez said.

This story is developing.