POLITICS
The sentence Bob Menendez faces after being found guilty of corruption
The corruption conviction could see Menendez put away for the rest of his life, if the judge hands out the maximum sentence when they meet again in October.
Senator Bob Menendez, a long-serving Democratic politician from New Jersey, has been found guilty on all 16 counts of corruption and bribery charges following a high-profile trial in New York.
The jury’s verdict, reached after more than 12 hours of deliberation, marks a significant downfall for the veteran senator.
Menendez now faces the prospect of 222 years in prison, a devastating blow to his long career in public service. The verdict also raises questions about the future of his congressional pension, though he will be allowed to retain it while exhausting his appeals.
Prosecutors alleged that Menendez accepted a range of bribes, including cash, gold bars, and a luxury vehicle, from three New Jersey businessmen in exchange for leveraging his political influence to benefit the governments of Egypt and Qatar.
The senator was accused of using his position as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to steer millions in US aid to Egypt and soften criticism of the country’s human rights abuses, all while receiving personal financial rewards.
What happens next?
Menendez will be sentenced on 29 October.
There are no rules preventing convicted felons from being US senators. However, there are mechanisms Congress can use to oust members. This has happened 15 times in the past, the most recent time being in 1981 for another New Jersey Democrat senator.
This conviction comes just months before Menendez was set to run for reelection, potentially dooming any hopes of a political comeback. The Democratic party has already nominated Rep. Andy Kim to run for Menendez’s Senate seat, while the Republican nominee is Curtis Bashaw. Menendez has said he will run as an independent.