Earlier, news broke regarding the sentencing of disgraced former Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), who was indicted in September 2023 on felony charges that included bribery, wire fraud, obstruction of justice, and being a foreign agent, all of which he was found guilty in July 2024.
Advertisement
Menendez, who has been under investigation on and off since 2006 and whose 2017 trial on similar charges resulted in a mistrial, had pleaded for leniency after prosecutors asked for 15 years but was sentenced on Wednesday to 11 years by US District Court Judge Sidney Stein, who did not mince words while handing the sentence down.
“Somewhere along the way, and I don’t know when it was, you lost your way – and working for the public good became working for your good,” Stein said. “What’s been the result? You lost your senate seat. You lost your chairmanship and you lost your good name.”
READ MORE: Former NJ Senator Menendez Has Learned His Sentence in Corruption, Bribery Case
Remaining defiant even in defeat, the 71-year-old ex-New Jersey power player stunned onlookers and reporters alike with the remarks he made outside the Manhattan courtroom, comparing himself to President Donald Trump and the lawfare Trump’s gone through for several years and claiming that he, too, was a victim of politically motivated persecution:
Menendez was unrepentant leaving court and claimed he was the victim of a “political witch hunt.” “President Trump was right. This process is political and it’s corrupt to the core. I hope President Trump cleans up the cesspool and restores the integrity to the system,” said Menendez, a lifelong Democrat who voted to convict Trump during both of his impeachment trials.
Advertisement
Watch below and listen as someone in the crowd appears to object to Menendez’s remarks after he invoked Trump’s name:
Some stunning remarks from Menendez outside court: “President Trump was right. This process is political, and it’s corrupted to the core. I hope President Trump cleans up the cesspool and restores the integrity to the system.” pic.twitter.com/woFgHgFGqM
— Molly Crane-Newman (@molcranenewman) January 29, 2025
Just days before Trump was inaugurated, it was reported that allies of Menendez confirmed he had “now shifted his focus onto President-Elect Donald Trump” in hopes of obtaining a pardon after not getting one from former President Joe Biden:
Menendez told people close to him even before the November election that he might have a better chance of securing clemency from Trump, two people with direct knowledge of his comments said. And in recent weeks, he has discussed with people close to him whether he might be more successful with Trump if he sought a sentence commutation rather than a full pardon, three people familiar with the discussions said.
Advertisement
Considering Menendez was a Russiagate hoaxer and voted in favor of Trump’s conviction in both of the politically motivated impeachment trials he faced, I’d say the chances of even a sentence commutation are about zero.
Bob Menendez 2019: Trump is a Russian Agent.
Bob Menendez 2025: Trump was right about weaponized justice.
Quite the change of heart. 🤡 pic.twitter.com/A34C8WH4Vs
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) January 29, 2025
Something about karma and all that.
