Federal prosecutors really useful a 15-year jail sentence for former Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), who was convicted this summer season of buying and selling his political affect for bribes.
Prosecutors accused the previous chair of the highly effective Senate Overseas Relations Committee of accepting lavish bribes — together with gold bars — to behave as a overseas agent of Egypt. A jury in July discovered Menendez responsible on all 16 counts of bribery, performing as a overseas agent and different federal corruption expenses.
That is the primary time a senator or public official has been convicted of performing as a overseas agent whereas in workplace, prosecutors famous.
“The defendants’ crimes amount to an extraordinary attempt, at the highest levels of the legislative branch, to corrupt the nation’s core sovereign powers over foreign relations and law enforcement,” prosecutors wrote in a memo filed late Thursday within the Southern District of New York.
The federal government additionally requested the decide to impose a sentence of at the least 10 years on Wael Hana and 9 years for Fred Daibes, Menendez’s co-defendants.
The three males are scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 29.
Daibes’ attorneys referred to as the federal government’s request “completely out of line with sentences for others convicted and sentences for the same conduct” and emphasised that the 24-month sentencing that they had really useful was extra acceptable.
“We are pleased that the government’s memo recognizes that Mr. Daibes is the least culpable and that his generosity and selfless acts and dedication to his Edgewater, NJ community is deserving of recognition and credit (albeit they seem to refuse to acknowledge the gravity of his generosity),” Diabes’ attorneys mentioned in an announcement to The Hill.
Attorneys for Menendez and Hana didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
Menendez’s attorneys final week described a shorter 12-year sentencing suggestion from the courtroom’s probation workplace as a “death sentence.”
“Probation’s recommended sentence of 12 years’ imprisonment would be draconian—likely a life and death sentence for someone of Bob’s age and condition,” his attorneys wrote.
“Senator Menendez has given his life to his country and to his community. With this case, his political and professional careers have ended; his reputation is destroyed; and the latter years of his life are in shambles. He is certain never to commit future offenses.”
