Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop believes that the U.S. Senate should expel Bob Menendez (D-NJ) after a superseding indictment charged him with acting as a foreign agent to Egypt.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“It’s really bad, I would suspect that a lot of calls for expulsion are gonna come pretty soon and some have already started with [U.S. Rep.] Andy Kim, I think [U.S. Senator] John Fetterman, I suspect that you’ll see more of it,” Fulop said in an interview.
“Those are very, very serious charges well beyond bribery and I think there’s a reasonable conversation that he probably shouldn’t continue staying as a senator with access to information when there’s a cloud of working for a foreign government as the indictment alleged. I think expulsion is a real part of the conversation and I think the Senate should pursue that.”
Yesterday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York unsealed a four-count superseding indictment charging New Jersey’s senior senator with conspiracy for a public official to commit extortion under official right.
“Among other actions, Menendez provided sensitive U.S. Government information and took other steps that secretly aided the Government of Egypt,” federal prosecutors charge.
“Menendez also improperly advised and pressured an official at the United States Department of Agriculture for the purpose of protecting a business monopoly granted to [Wael] Hana by Egypt and used in part to fund the bribes being paid to Menendez through Nadine Menendez.”
The Menendezes, Hana, Jose Uribe, and Fred Dabies have all pleaded not guilty and have a trial date tentatively set for about one month before next year’s June 4th Senate primary, but that May 6th date will almost certainly be delayed.
While the senator, who was the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at the times the alleged crimes were committed, has not explicitly said he will seek re-election, he has been steadfast that he won’t be resigning.
“The government’s latest charge flies in the face of my long record of standing up for human rights and democracy in Egypt and in challenging leaders of that country, including President El-Sisi on these issues. I have been, throughout my life, loyal to only one country — the United States of America, the land my family chose to live in democracy and freedom,” he said in a statement yesterday.
“Piling new charge upon new charge does not make the allegations true. The facts haven’t changed, only a new charge. It is an attempt to wear someone down and I will not succumb to this tactic. I again ask people who know me and my record to give me the chance to present my defense and show my innocence.”
Larry Lustberg, counsel for Hana, said in his own statement that the new allegations are as “absurd as it is false.”
While the Hudson County Democratic Organization has opted to remain neutral, Fulop, a longtime political adversary of Menendez, has not been shy about speaking out about the charges.
At the end of last month, The New York Times reported that Menendez, then a congressman being challenged by Fulop – then a political protege of Mayor Glenn Cunningham – attempted to get him fired from Goldman Sachs as retaliation for running against him.
Ward E Councilman James Solomon, Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla – a potential challenger to U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez (D-8) – 2nd Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher, and 5th Ward Councilman Phil Cohen are the only other local elected leaders who have publicly called for Menendez to step down.