The Department of Justice is reportedly investigating Democratic New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez for corruption, five years after a jury deadlocked on similar charges, according to Semafor.
The DOJ’s Southern District of New York is conducting an investigation into whether or not Menendez improperly accepted gifts, according to Semafor. The senator faced a 14 count indictment that included several counts of bribery and honest services fraud in 2017. A jury deadlocked on the charges, leading to a mistrial, and prosecutors declined to bring the charges a second time.
Big @kadiagoba scoop in Principals this morning: Senator Robert Menendez is under investigation again https://t.co/jxadChYyy1
— Ben Smith (@semaforben) October 26, 2022
Prosecutors have reportedly issued at least one subpoena in the new investigation, which does not involve any individuals previously investigated due to their ties to Menendez. Dr. Salomon Melgen, a New Jersey ophthalmologist, also previously faced charges in the Menendez case. He was convicted of Medicare fraud in a separate trial and received a pardon from former President Donald Trump in January 2021, according to the AP.
Menendez’s office did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller’s request for comment on the matter. (RELATED: Dominican Government Official: Sen. Bob Menendez A Frequent Guest At ‘Sex, Hookers And Drinking’ Parties)
The Daily Caller previously reported that Menendez and Melgen traveled on a private jet to the Dominican Republic, where they reportedly partied with prostitutes in Melgen’s villa. Prosecutors later revealed in a filing that “the Government responsibly and dutifully investigated … specific, corroborated allegations that defendants Menendez and Melgen had sex with underage prostitutes in the Dominican Republic,” in apparent reference to the Daily Caller’s reporting.
Despite the corruption cloud, Menendez won re-election in 2018 by 11 points. He next runs in 2024, and has filed to seek a fourth term.