Robert Menendez (/mɛˈnɛndɛz/; born January 1, 1954) is an American lawyer and former politician who served as a United States senator from New Jersey from 2006[1] until his resignation in 2024 following his conviction on 16 counts in a political corruption case.

[12] The case against Menendez gained significant attention when investigators discovered gold bars and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash at his home.

"[48] In September 2006, just a few weeks before the 2006 Senate elections, the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Jersey, headed by Chris Christie, began investigating a rental deal with North Hudson Community Action Corporation, subpoenaing records from them.

Senator Bill Bradley decided to retire in August 1995,[55] Menendez made known his intention to run in the 1996 election for the seat, but eventually dropped out of the race and endorsed Robert Torricelli, the Democrat representing New Jersey's 9th congressional district.

Senator, Frank Lautenberg, announced his planned retirement, Menendez again decided not to run, with the Democratic nomination for the 2000 race going to Goldman Sachs CEO Jon Corzine, who won the general election.

In January 2024, Menendez was charged with corruption for promoting the interests of Qatar while receiving various illicit gifts such as cash, gold bars, and a Mercedes-Benz automobile.

[64] On January 6, 2021, Menendez was participating in the certification of the 2021 United States Electoral College vote count when Trump supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol.

[91] In 2014 the National Council of La Raza (America's largest Latino advocacy organization) recognized Menendez for his work in supporting immigration reform as a member of the "Gang of Eight".

[92] In June 2019, Menendez and 18 other Democratic senators sent USDA Inspector General Phyllis K. Fong a letter requesting that she investigate USDA instances of retaliation and political decision-making and asserted that not conducting an investigation would mean these "actions could be perceived as a part of this administration's broader pattern of not only discounting the value of federal employees, but suppressing, undermining, discounting, and wholesale ignoring scientific data produced by their own qualified scientists".

[94][95] Menendez introduced legislation that would incentivize the conversion of vehicles to run on natural gas; the bill did not make it out of committee in its first incarnation and failed to receive 60 votes required to pass in 2012.

[96] In February 2019, in response to reports of the EPA intending to decide against setting drinking water limits for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) as part of an upcoming national strategy to manage the aforementioned class of chemicals, Menendez was one of 20 senators to sign a letter to Acting EPA Administrator Andrew R. Wheeler calling on the agency "to develop enforceable federal drinking water standards for PFOA and PFOS, as well as institute immediate actions to protect the public from contamination from additional per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)".

[103] During a press conference about the Teachers and First Responders Back to Work Act, Menendez claimed that New Jersey was facing a $10.5 billion shortfall in its 2012 fiscal budget that would lead to cuts in state spending on education.

[113] In June 2019, Menendez was one of four senators to cosponsor the Help Empower Americans to Respond (HEAR) Act, legislation that would ban suppressors being imported, sold, made, sent elsewhere, or possessed and grant a silencer buyback program as well as include certain exceptions for current and former law enforcement personnel and others.

He identified chief concerns as "rebuilding alliances, restoring American leadership in international institutions, and addressing complex global challenges like climate change, migration, pandemics like COVID-19".

[119] In October 2009, Menendez sent a strongly worded letter of protest to Cyprus President Dimitris Christofias, criticizing him for his praise of the Cuban government.

[137] In June 2019, Menendez called for the immediate release of Ukrainian journalist Stanislav Aseyev, who was being held in custody by militants from the so-called Donetsk People's Republic.

[140] Menendez called for the Trump administration to immediately suspend U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan,[141] sent through Pentagon's "building partner assistance program".

Earlier this year, at Senator Menendez's request, the Government Accountability Office agreed to conduct a review of security assistance to the country to ensure that it aligns with U.S. interests; this violence indicates that it does not.

A highly critical Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation report found that the institution had engaged in unsafe or unsound banking practices, including operating without adequate supervision by its board of directors, excessive delinquent or bad loans, inadequate earnings, and insufficient coverage of its assets.

[180][181] In May 2014, Menendez received an award for Political Courage at a gala organized by the American Friends of Likud, where he reaffirmed the strong alliance between the U.S. and Israel and said, "several thousands of years of history lead to an undeniable conclusion: the reestablishment of the State of Israel in modern times is a political reality with roots going back to the time of Abraham and Sarah and historical texts and artifacts".

[186] In November 2012, the conservative political news and opinion website Daily Caller published allegations that Menendez had contact with underage prostitutes in the Dominican Republic.

[187][188] The allegations were promoted by Republican Party operatives, who arranged for ABC News and the Daily Caller to interview two women who accused Menendez of patronizing prostitutes.

[194] On August 27, 2006, two Republican state lawmakers filed an ethics complaint against Menendez, alleging he broke conflict-of-interest rules when renting property to a nonprofit agency that receives federal funds.

[201] [202] [203] In January 2013, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents raided the office of Florida ophthalmologist Salomon Melgen, a close friend and major donor to Menendez.

[223]Beginning in late 2022, questions were raised about whether Menendez or his wife accepted allowable gifts from an Edgewater, New Jersey, halal meat provider and whether an Egyptian firm received unwarranted favorable treatment.

[4][228] Another was that he used his position to pressure prosecutors in New Jersey who were involved in the cases of his friends Fred Daibes and Jose Uribe in exchange for financial gifts from the two men.

[237] In a superseding indictment filed on January 2, 2024, prosecutors alleged that Menendez made positive comments about Qatar in order to help a New Jersey real estate developer secure millions in funding from a member of the Qatari royal family.

[250][251] In 2021, President of Greece Katerina Sakellaropoulou awarded Menendez the Grand Cross of the Order of Honour for "his contribution to the deepening of Greek-US relations and the promotion of peace and cooperation in the wider region".

[252][253] Menendez also received the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III from President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades for "his contribution to promoting human rights, the rule of law, and democracy".

[270] The case, which drew no charges or media coverage at the time, resurfaced in the federal indictment, where prosecutors allege Menendez interfered with the prosecution of a New Jersey businessman in exchange for a Mercedes to replace his wife's car.