‘Not Weaseling Out Of This One’: New Bribery Case Against Menendez is More ‘Powerful’ Than Previous One, Says Ex-Prosecutor

A former federal prosecutor claimed the corruption case against Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) was more “powerful” than previous charges brought against him that ended in a hung jury.

“This is quintessential evidence…This is the evidence that you want if you’re trying this bribery case,” Jennifer Rogers told CNN. “You know, just to be clear in the prior case — he wasn’t cleared in the prior case, he wasn’t acquitted; It was a hung jury. And what the jury had a problem which is, that fact that they were friends, the ‘briber’ and Menendez were friends.”

“So, I think some of the jurors were convinced that when Menendez would, say, take a trip on his private plane and go to his home, which are things that could be looked at as bribes, they said, ‘well, it was because of their friendship,'” she added.

After the jury deadlocked on 18 counts in 2015, Menendez said, “I think it sends a powerful message to the government if, after years of preparation of this case, if after years of prosecuting, if after hundreds of agents, millions of taxpayer dollars, the result is that ten of the twelve jurors simply said that they did not believe any of the charges.”

But Rogers said the case filed Friday was very different. She explained:

That is not the case here. These people were not his friends. The text messages and emails make clear that this was a transactional relationship. So this case is serious and powerful. It’s also tried by my old shop, The Southern District of New York. I will tell you, he is not weaseling out of this one. This one is going to be the digging of the grave, or whatever it is he wants to say.

Prosecutors alleged that Menendez schemed with his wife, Nadine Menendez, and three New Jersey businessmen: Fred Daibes, Wael Hana, and Jose Uribe. The men allegedly bribed Menendez with cash and gold bars in exchange for his Washington, D.C., influence to enrich them, as well as the government of Egypt.

Menendez released a statement Friday that said, in part, “To my supporters, friends and the community at large, I ask that you recall the other times the prosecutors got it wrong and that you reserve judgement. I am confident that this matter will be successfully resolved once all of the facts are presented and my fellow New Jerseyans will see this for what it is.”

Watch the clip above via CNN.