Topline
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Penn.) plans to return donations he received from Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), who was indicted on federal bribery charges last week, Fetterman’s spokesperson said in a statement, while taking a jab at prosecutors’ claims that Menendez hid money from the alleged bribes in cash-stuffed envelopes throughout his home.
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., arrives for President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s meeting with U.S. … [+]
Key Facts
Fetterman’s campaign is in the process of returning the $5,000 in donations he received from Menendez last year “in envelopes stuffed with $100 bills,” his spokesperson Joe Calvello said in a statement first provided to The Messenger that was confirmed by Forbes.
Fetterman is the only fellow Democratic senator who has called on Menendez—who has denied all allegations against him—to resign from office after he was indicted last week on charges of taking bribes in the form of money, gold, home mortgage payments and a luxury car from three New Jersey businessmen.
Fetterman urged Menendez to make an “honorable exit” from the Senate in a post on X Saturday, adding that “he cannot continue to wield influence over national policy, especially given the serious and specific nature of the allegations”—but acknowledging Menendez is “entitled to the presumption of innocence.”
Fetterman also took a swipe at Menendez’s claim that the nearly $500,000 in cash allegedly found by FBI agents at his New Jersey home was for emergencies: “We have an extra flashlight for our home emergencies,” Fetterman wrote on X Monday.
Key Background
Menendez and his wife Nadine were each charged last week with conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right and conspiracy to commit honest services fraud. Prosecutors accused the senator and his wife of accepting cash, gold bars, a Mercedes and other bribes in exchange for swaying criminal investigations linked to two local businessmen, helping a third Egyptian-American businessman maintain a lucrative halal meat monopoly, and unblocking military aid to the Egyptian government. Menendez has denied the accusations and said Monday in his first public statement in response to the allegations that he believes he will be exonerated. Fetterman joins a bipartisan list of lawmakers who have called for his resignation, including New Jersey’s Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), and New Jersey Reps. Mikie Sherrill and Andy Kim, both Democrats.
Tangent
Menendez was indicted in 2015 on similar charges for conspiracy, bribery, violating the travel act, making false statements and honest services fraud. His trial ended in a hung jury in 2017, leading to his acquittal on some of the charges, while the remaining counts were dismissed. In that case, prosecutors alleged he accepted approximately $1 million in bribes in the form of gifts and campaign contributions from a Florida ophthalmologist.
Further Reading
New Jersey Sen. Menendez Denies Wrongdoing, Vows To Stay In Congress (Forbes)
New Jersey Sen. Menendez Indicted Over Alleged Bribes—Including Gold Bars And A Luxury Car (Forbes)
Sen. Bob Menendez Under Federal Investigation—Again (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2023/09/25/fetterman-says-hell-return-donations-from-indicted-menendez-in-envelopes-stuffed-with-100-bills/