U.S. Senator Bob Menendez is due to report to federal prison tomorrow morning to begin an eleven-year sentence for bribery and corruption, unless President Donald Trump offers him a last-minute pardon or commutation.
The U.S. Court of Appeals last week denied Menendez’s bid to remain free on bail pending his appeal.
He is expected to surrender tomorrow morning after spending the weekend in Massachusetts at his step-daughter’s wedding.
He’s been assigned to FCI Schuylkill, a medium security federal prison with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp in Minersville, Pennsylvania, about two-and-a-half hours from his home in Englewood Cliffs and about 50 miles west of Allentown.
The former Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman will be able to receive letters, cards, and postcards. He can receive newspapers, magazines, and softcover books; hardcover books will need to be sent directly from Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Menendez will be able to respond.
Menendez will get to make about 300 minutes worth of phone calls every month – outgoing only. He will also have access to a limited Email system – no attachments and no Internet access – funded without the use of taxpayer dollars. Emails are limited to 13,000 characters. But only those on a pre-approved list with a Bureau of Prisons account can email him.
He is permitted four visits per month, and each visit can have four adults. Menendez has likely designated one person to schedule the visits. All visits must be approved by the prison. Visiting times are on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 8 AM to 3 PM.
Menendez is also seeking contributions to his commissary account. He’ll likely have set up a fund to process the commissary payments; donors can also use Western Union or send a money order directly to the Bureau of Prisons.
The commissary will be a place where Menendez can purchase personal items – like shaving cream and deodorant, over-the-counter medicines, casual clothing, including sneakers and boots. Menendez will also need to buy a watch, a headset to listen to music or watch television, pens, paper, envelopes, and stamps; he can’t bring anything to prison with him. He’ll also need to pay for phone calls, email, and photocopies. The commissary will also give Menendez alternative food options.
He’ll need roughly $1,200 per month.
Menendez is the first former U.S. Senator to go to prison since New Jersey’s Harrison Williams in 1982.