For his alleged dealings with Egyptian officials, including allegations that he shared non-public documents, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Shirley Maia-Cusick is calling on the Justice Department to charge U.S. Senator Bob Menendez with espionage.
“I am greatly disturbed that Senator Bob Menendez continues to willfully and selfishly compromise American national security interests for a few bars of gold and a shiny new car,” Maia-Cusick said. “Senator Menendez flagrantly and shamelessly sold America’s national secrets to a foreign nation. If true, the Department of Justice’s indictment neglected to charge Bob Menendez with effectively spying on behalf of Egypt—the most serious betrayal that an American citizen can inflict upon our country.
As a result, Maia-Cusick wants federal prosecutors to consider a superseding indictment against him for charges of espionage. The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, said in his comments on Friday announcing the indictment that more charges could be forthcoming.
Maia-Cusick is drawing attention to the indictment’s outlining of purported discussions Menendez held with Egyptian officials.
Menendez – until last Friday – had been the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, which gave him wide authority on American foreign policy and international politics.
According to the indictment, Menendez abused his position to boost military and financial aid to Egypt, to enrich himself and his wife Nadine.
Allegedly, Menendez ghost-wrote a letter that sought to convince other senators to release $300 million in aid to Egypt; held conversations about foreign military financing and military sales with Egyptian officials; and provided non-public information regarding the composition of the staff working in the U.S. Embassy in Cairo to Egyptian military officials.
About Menendez’s disclosure of information about the embassy staff, the indictment reads, “Although this information was not classified, it was deemed highly sensitive because it could pose significant operational security concerns if disclosed to a foreign government or if made public.”
Whether these issues amount to the legal definition of espionage is unclear.
For his part, however, Menendez has rebuked these allegations and dismisses any suggestion that he has improperly worked to benefit Egypt.
At a press conference yesterday, Menendez emphasized his history of holding Egypt accountable for human rights abuses.
“I have always worked to hold accountable those countries, including Egypt, for human rights abuses, the repression of its citizenry and civil society, and more,” he said.