A former staffer for Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) revealed key details about a 2021 trip to Egypt and Qatar and revealed that Menendez planned his trip in conjunction with Egypt.

Sarah Arkin, a senior staffer with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, testified in Menendez's ongoing trial that Menendez directed Senate staff to reach out to an individual at the Egyptian embassy.

While it is standard protocol to let foreign countries know of visits, this was unusual as such trips are usually planned through the State Department and U.S. authorities, not with a foreign actor.

Menendez is accused of multiple serious offenses but one of those accusations is that he acted as a foreign agent of Egypt which is extremely serious as he was the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

He has since abdicated that position but he was in a strong position to push foreign policy in favor of Egypt in return for substantial sums of money. In essence, Menendez allegedly sold his position in the Senate to the highest bidder.

Not Representing The People

Any American serving in Congress is beholden to the people, an idea that has been made a mockery of in recent years. Most Americans know that Congress serves the interests of the rich and powerful but Menendez's case is particularly outrageous.

It's obvious that massive corporations influence Senators and Representatives but in Menendez's case, he stands accused of serving the interests of a foreign country at the expense of the American people.

Arkin testified that one staffer told her that "all of this Egypt stuff is very weird." Arkin also mentioned that Menendez's wife, Nadine, was "trying to be involved in the planning" and had "lots of opinions."

Mendendez's wife is heavily involved in the accusations as federal prosecutors believe she is the basis of a bribery scheme related to her striking and killing of a pedestrian in 2018.

It was determined that she was not at fault but there's a chance there is more to that story than initially believed.

Nadine Menendez has pled not guilty in the case, but her trial is on hold as she is recovering from breast cancer surgery.

Foreign Actor

To add to the intrigue behind Arkin's testimony is the fact that Menendez reportedly didn't want her to come on the trip to Egypt. Why exactly is unknown but it's interesting how a key staffer involved in planning was specifically not supposed to come.

Menendez was reportedly engaged in private conversations with Egyptian officials and even told Arkin that he wanted her to be less publicly critical of Egypt amid rampant authoritarianism and human rights abuses.

The testimony from Arkin and other individuals paints a picture that portrays Menendez as a foreign actor for Egypt or at the very least someone who was acting unusual and in a suspicious manner.

None of this paints a good picture of Menendez who was entrusted with significant power in Congress. After the expulsion of George Santos from the House of Representatives, one would think similar consequences are on the way for Menendez.