Five years after his corruption scandal ended, New Jersey Democratic senator Bob Menendez is under federal investigation — again.
The details of the new investigation aren’t clear, but reports said that Menendez is under scrutiny from prosecutors in the Southern District of New York.
Menendez under investigation
An adviser to Menendez issued a statement on the news saying the senator is unaware of the investigation’s scope.
“Senator Menendez is aware of an investigation that was reported on today, however, he does not know the scope of the investigation,” the adviser, Michael Soliman said.
“As always, should any official inquiries be made, the Senator is available to provide any assistance that is requested of him or his office,” Soliman added.
The DOJ dismissed corruption charges against Menendez in 2018 after his trial ended in a hung jury.
Menendez had been accused of doing political favors for a Florida eye doctor, Salomon Melgen, who bribed the senator with gifts and flights on his private jet. Menendez, an outspoken supporter of open borders, used his power to push along visa applications for Melgen’s girlfriends.
Details unclear
Melgen, who was convicted of Medicare fraud separately, was later pardoned by former President Trump.
The new investigation into Menendez is similar to the old corruption case but involves different people, a report said.
A New Jersey lawyer who was subpoenaed told the New York Times that investigators asked about the senator’s interactions with people he knew and a company that handles Halal meat for export.
The lawyer knew of two other people who had been subpoenaed.
Menendez, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is up for re-election in 2024.