Wife of former NJ Democrat convicted in bribery scheme

The drama over the bribery trial of former Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and his wife, Nadine, is finally over.

Nadine was convicted, and ironically, her sentencing hearing is when her husband is supposed to be reporting to jail to serve his sentence.

Resigning from the Senate

I grew up in the tri-state area, so I know the long history of corruption that has followed Menendez around during his career.

He was called Teflon Don for decades, neck-deep in shady deals but never found guilty.

This time, after taking bribes from local businessmen to protect the interests of Egypt, he was finally found guilty.

That resulted in Menendez resigning his office in August 2024, but going down denying he had ever done anything wrong.

The sentence comes down

In January, Menendez, who has been begging Donald Trump for a pardon, was sentenced for his crimes to 11 years in prison, and I could not have been happier.

U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon stated, “The sentences imposed today result from an egregious abuse of power at the highest levels of the Legislative Branch of the federal government."

“Robert Menendez was trusted to represent the United States and the State of New Jersey, but instead he used his position to help his co-conspirators and a foreign government, in exchange for bribes like cash, gold, and a luxury car.

“The sentences imposed today send a clear message that attempts at any level of government to corrupt the nation’s foreign policy and the rule of law will be met with just punishment.”

Joined by His Wife

On Monday, the verdict was handed down for Nadine Menendez, and she faces the same fate as her husband.

When their home was raided, authorities found “nearly $150,000 worth of gold bars and $480,000 in cash stuffed in boots, shoeboxes and jackets. In the garage was a Mercedes-Benz convertible, also an alleged bribe,” according to the Breitbart report.

Prosecutors actually made Nadine the mastermind behind the scheme, alleging that she had encouraged her husband to facilitate bribes so she would not lose her home, which, at the time, was behind nearly $20,000 in mortgage payments.

My only hope now is that Trump does not pardon these two, as he seems to have a soft spot for corrupt politicians. Trump has previously pardoned a corrupt Democrat governor who appeared on “The Apprentice” and had the DOJ drop the corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.