Disgraced ex-NJ Sen. Bob Menendez won't get a new corruption trial — and  holds out hope for Trump pardon
Share and Follow

Former New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, who has been involved in a corruption scandal and is rumored to be requesting a pardon from President Trump, saw his request for a new trial denied on Wednesday.

Manhattan federal court Judge Sidney Stein found that the three-term Garden State senator wasn’t unfairly convicted despite an evidence snafu during jury deliberations.

The longtime Democratic pol asked Stein in November to throw out his conviction after prosecutors discovered they accidentally provided jurors with bits of evidence they weren’t supposed to see.

Prosecutors had loaded the wrong versions of trial exhibits, that weren’t properly redacted, when they sent a laptop loaded with evidence to the jury to review as the panel weighed Menendez’s verdict.

Stein, in a ruling Wednesday, found it was “extraordinarily unlikely” that jurors ever saw the mistakenly included evidence — “a few phrases buried in thousands of exhibits and many thousands of pages of evidence.”

Even on the “infinitesimal chance” that the jury did see that evidence, “there is a similarly minuscule likelihood that the jury would have understood it, much less attribute the significance to these exhibits that the defense now do,” the judge wrote.

Defense lawyers had two days to review the laptop before agreeing for it to be sent to jurors — and Menendez then waived his right to object to the contents, Stein said.

Menendez — who was forced to resign the month after his July conviction — is set to be sentenced on Jan. 29 and could face decades behind bars.

Menendez, 71, sought a pardon from former President Joe Biden before he left office but was apparently rebuffed.

He’s since been reportedly seeking clemency from Trump — who may be reluctant to grant the request given Menendez voted against him during both of the president’s impeachment trials.

Menendez said in a statement Wednesday that he “respectfully disagree[s]” with Stein’s decision and that he planned to appeal over the evidence blunder.

“To think that prosecutors can put unconstitutional and inadmissible evidence in front of the jury, assure the defense they only provided the jury with admitted exhibits, and escape any consequences, is outrageous,” Menendez said.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Federal agents arrest man in Bolingbrook Police Department lobby after he tried to report encounter with them: officials

Surprising Turn of Events: Man Arrested in Bolingbrook Police Lobby After Attempting to Report Federal Agents’ Encounter

In Bolingbrook, Illinois, concerned residents gathered with candles at the local police…
Amazon stores closing: Amazon to close Amazon Go, Amazon Fresh locations to concentrate on Whole Foods, grocery delivery

Amazon to Streamline Operations by Closing Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh Locations, Focusing on Whole Foods and Grocery Delivery Services

NEW YORK — Amazon has announced a strategic shift by deciding to…
FILE - A U.S. Border Patrol patch is seen, Nov. 3, 2025, in Rosemont, Ill. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley, File)

Border Patrol Shooting Near US-Mexico Border Critically Injures One Individual

Authorities in Arizona have confirmed a shooting incident involving the Border Patrol…
Carnival offering new cruise destinations in 2027, including eclipse-viewing trips

Explore New Horizons: Carnival Unveils 2027 Cruise Destinations with Exclusive Eclipse Voyages

Exciting additions to Carnival Cruise Line’s itinerary include a pair of unique…
Police investigate VCU nurse who instructed 'sabotage' of ICE agents in viral TikTok videos

VCU Nurse Dismissed After Video Suggests Use of Paralytic Drug in Sabotage Against ICE Agents

A nurse employed by Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health has been terminated…
Three-Day Fetch: Jacksonville weighs stray dilemma proposal to cut shelter hold time in half

Jacksonville Officials Announce Reduction in Animal Stray Hold Period from Six to Five Days

In a decisive move aimed at enhancing animal welfare in Jacksonville, the…
Spencer Pratt admits to selling photos of Mary-Kate Olsen

Spencer Pratt Reveals Secret Role in Selling Mary-Kate Olsen Photos: A Behind-the-Scenes Look

Spencer Pratt has confessed to leaking photographs of Mary-Kate Olsen. The revelation…
Ilhan Omar attack theories emerge as Trump fuels vicious fraud claim

Trump’s Baseless Fraud Claims Spark New Wave of Ilhan Omar Conspiracy Theories

Ilhan Omar is facing accusations of orchestrating her own assault after former…