Prosecutors want 15 years for ex-NJ Sen. Bob Menendez in bribery case

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Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Jodie Hawkins (Senior Producer), Emma Stoltzfus (Video Editor)

Federal prosecutors want at least a 15-year sentence for former New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez. He is convicted of trading his political clout for bribes, including $150,000 worth of gold bars, as well as cash and gifts from three businessmen.

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Two of the businessmen, Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, who were also convicted, did not deny giving Menendez and his wife the valuables, but argued at trial that they were either loans or gifts of good will, intended to nurture a relationship.

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The third businessman involved pleaded guilty, and testified at the trial in July.

Prosecutors filed a memo Thursday, Jan. 9, in federal district court, citing the “rare gravity” of the crimes, saying it was an attempt to corrupt the nation’s powers over foreign relations and law enforcement.

The prosecutors’ recommendation comes after Menendez’s lawyers asked for leniency, noting the 71-year-old’s age, his decades of public service, charity work and devotion to his family.

In the filing, prosecutors also recommended a sentence of at least 10 years for Hana and nine years for Daibes.

Menendez’s wife, Nadine, who was charged for conspiring to trade her husband’s political influence, is slated to go on trial in February. Menendez, who resigned from his seat in August, is due to be sentenced Jan. 29.

Tags: Bob Menendez, corruption, Courts, New Jersey, U.S. Senate

[Karah Rucker]

FEDERAL PROSECUTORS WANT AT LEAST A 15 YEAR SENTENCE FOR DISGRACED, FORMER NEW JERSEY SENATOR ROBERT MENENDEZ.

MENENDEZ IS CONVICTED OF TRADING HIS POLITICAL CLOUT FOR BRIBES INCLUDING 150-THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF GOLD BARS, AS WELL AS, CASH AND GIFTS FROM THREE BUSINESSMEN.

TWO OF THE BUSINESSMEN, WAEL HANA (Wah-el Hah-nah) AND FRED DAIBES (day-bes) – WHO WERE ALSO CONVICTED – DID NOT DENY GIVING MENENDEZ AND HIS WIFE THE VALUABLES BUT ARGUED AT TRIAL THAT THEY WERE EITHER LOANS OR GIFTS OF GOOD WILL INTENDED TO NURTURE A RELATIONSHIP.

THE THIRD BUSINESSMAN INVOLVED PLEADED GUILTY AND TESTIFIED AT THE TRIAL IN JULY.

PROSECUTORS FILED A MEMO THURSDAY IN FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT CITING THE “RARE GRAVITY” OF THE CRIMES SAYING IT WAS AN ATTEMPT TO CORRUPT THE NATION’S POWERS OVER FOREIGN RELATIONS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.

THE PROSECUTORS’ RECOMMENDATION COMES AFTER MENENDEZ’S LAWYERS ASKED FOR LIENIENCY NOTING THE 71 YEAR OLD’S AGE, HIS DECADES OF PUBLIC SERVICE, CHARITY WORK AND DEVOTION TO HIS FAMILY.

IN THURSDAY’S FILING … PROSECUTORS ALSO RECOMMENDED A SENTENCE OF AT LEAST 10 YEARS FOR HANA 9 YEARS FOR DIABES.

MENDENDEZ’S WIFE … NADINE WHO WAS CHARGED FOR CONSPIRING TO TRADE HER HUSBAND’S POLITICAL INFLUENCE… IS SLATED TO GO ON TRIAL IN FEBRUARY.

MENENDEZ, WHO RESIGNED FROM HIS SEAT IN AUGUST, IS DUE TO BE SENTENCED JANUARY 29TH.

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