Nadine Menendez put husband’s ‘power up for sale,’ prosecutors say

Prosecutors and defense attorneys presented their closing arguments in the bribery trial of Nadine Menendez, the wife of former Senator Bob Menendez. The accusations against her include brokering deals that sold her husband’s influence in exchange for gold bars, cash, and a luxury car.

Bob Menendez, who has already been sentenced to 11 years in prison in a separate trial on bribery, acting as a foreign agent, and obstruction charges, was repeatedly mentioned during the government’s closing argument. Nadine Menendez sat quietly in the courtroom, wearing a pink face mask, flanked by her two attorneys.

Prosecutor Paul Monteleoni meticulously outlined all 18 charges against Nadine Menendez, portraying her as her husband’s “partner in crime.” He alleged that she played a central role in selling her husband’s political power in various schemes. The misconduct, according to prosecutors, included assisting a New Jersey-based Halal certifier in seeking a monopoly, meddling in a state-level criminal case, and drafting a letter for the Egyptian government to secure U.S. aid.

In return for these favors, Monteleoni claimed that Nadine Menendez received envelopes of cash, 1-kilogram gold bars, a high-paying job, and a luxury convertible. He emphasized that her actions were driven by materialistic desires, notably pointing out her motive for getting a convertible.

On the defense side, attorney Barry Coburn argued that the government’s definitions of “official acts” and “quid pro quo” were overly broad. He contended that most of the alleged conduct was routine political behavior and should not be considered criminal. Coburn specifically challenged the assertion that a meeting between Bob Menendez and New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal constituted an official act.

Coburn emphasized that the allegations against Nadine Menendez were unproven and urged the jury to acquit her. He also raised doubts about the credibility of Jose Uribe, a cooperating government witness, highlighting the lack of corroborating evidence for many of his claims.

Judge Sidney H. Stein is set to provide jury instructions on Friday morning, following which deliberations will commence. The outcome of the trial will determine Nadine Menendez’s fate in this high-profile bribery case.