A new round of subpoenas has been issued today in the ongoing federal probe of U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), according to sources familiar with the matter.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“A new round of subpoenas that appear to be related to the U.S. Senator Bob Menendez investigation have been rolled out and at least one Hudson County politico was given a subpoena,” sources, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, told HCV.
They also said the new subpoenas did not identify any new targets in the investigation, but instead sought new information unrelated to to the Edgewater-based meat company IS EG Halal.
They declined to comment on what information the subpoenas were seeking and the U.S. District Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York did not return calls or messages seeking comment.
A spokesman for Menendez declined to comment.
NBC News reported last month that Menendez is under investigation in connection with the IS EG Halal over an exclusive contract with the government of Egypt to certify halal exports worldwide, as well as that he is setting up a criminal defense fund as legal bills pile up.
“Senator Menendez is confident that this official inquiry will be successfully closed, but as it is still unresolved he will be opening a separate legal defense fund so as not to drain any further campaign funds,” a spokeswoman for Menendez told the TV news station.
Filings with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) show that Menendez has spent $228,807.25 on the probe in the first quarter of 2023.
Chicago-based law firm Winston & Strawn LLP received $127,343.75 from Menendez’s Senate account on January 11th, while Washington, D.C.-based law firm Schertler & Ornato lLP received $48,000 on February 7th.
Additionally, HaystackID, a forensic and eDiscovery services company also based out of Chicago, was paid $53,463.50 total, campaign finance records show.
Menendez, New Jersey’s senior senator and the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has $6,571,491.25 cash on hand and is expected to seek a fourth term in the June 2024 primary.
He has one vocal Democratic challenger in Roselle Park Mayor Joe Signorello, who claims the state deserves better, citing Menendez’s federal corruption case in 2015 that went to trial in 2018 and ended in a hung jury.