MSNBC host Joe Scarborough mocked Democratic New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez’s explanation for why he stored gold bars and nearly half-a-million dollars in his home.
The Southern District of New York charged Menendez and his wife, Nadine, with three counts relating to an alleged bribery scheme. The 39-page indictment alleges that authorities found nearly $500,000 dollars in cash and about $100,000 in gold bars inside the 69-year-old’s home, which he allegedly took as bribes to help wield his political power to benefit the government of Egypt and business associates in New Jersey.
The New Jersey senator claimed during a Monday press conference that the $480,000 dollars in cash found stashed throughout his house was part of his emergency savings account. Menendez’s explanation did not convince Scarborough during Tuesday’s “Morning Joe” panel.
“Listen, I had Glenn Beck over and I personally had him deliver, in a Brinks truck survival scene and said dump her there, Glenn, so the survival scene, you’ve got AR-15s lined on the wall, gold bullions. Listen, this argument is not dumber than Bob Menendez saying I’m from Cuba, so yeah I keep gold bars and bullion in cash in my house. Come on, Willie [Geist], come on.”
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Scarborough then burst out into laughter as MSNBC’s Jonathan Lemire said Menendez’s Google search history showed he looked up how much the gold bar is worth. (RELATED: ‘He’s An Idiot’: Criminal Defense Attorney Mocks Bob Menendez For Explanation Of Bribery Allegations)
Menendez, the son of Cuban immigrants, said during a Monday press conference it is a trend in Cuba to take money out of their personal savings account and keep it around the house. Other bribes allegedly accepted by Menendez include a Mercedes-Benz and mortgage payments, according to the indictment.
The senator stepped down as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee but has refused to resign as members of his own party have called for his resignation.
The Democratic senator has denied any wrongdoing and has blamed racism against Hispanics for the indictment in a Friday statement.