DAY TWO
The sub-headline of a New York Times story sums it up: “Senator Robert Menendez is accused of participating in a bribery case involving more than $100,000 in gold bullion, an Egyptian halal meat monopoly and a Qatari sheikh.”
Menendez’s corruption trial at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Federal Courthouse in Lower Manhattan completed its second day.
Here’s what you need to know: No jurors have been picked, and a federal judge refused a bid by Menendez’s lawyers to allow a psychiatrist to testify that Menendez suffered from a “fear of scarcity.” If the 12-person jury is seated on Wednesday, opening statements could begin right away.
DAYS SINCE THE INDICTMENT: 235
DAYS SINCE MENENDEZ’S LAST CRIMINAL TRIAL ENDED: 2,371
DAYS UNTIL THE NEW JERSEY FILING DEADLINE: 21
Menendez is not running in the June Democratic primary but has not ruled out running as an independent if he’s acquitted.
MISSED VOTES: 1
On Monday, Menendez missed a vote to invoke cloture on President Biden’s nomination of Courtney Diesel O’Donnell to be United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. It passed, 50-41, with no Republicans voting Yea.
In case you’re keeping track: it’s been 43 Years and 13 Days since a United States Senator from New Jersey was last convicted of accepting a bribe.
HERE’S A GOOD REASON TO BUY A MERCEDES-BENZ
— Potential Menendez corruption trial jurors are told U.S. senators may be named or called as witnesses from the Associated Press’ Mike Catalani and Larry Neumeister: “Stein also made rulings that will define what evidence lawyers can present to the jury… Among the evidence he excluded with his rulings was the testimony of a psychiatrist who was expected to say that Menendez habitually stored cash in his home as a ‘fear of scarcity’ response to family stories about how their savings were confiscated in the Communist revolution in Cuba, before he was born, and because of financial problems stemming from the gambling problem of his father, a struggling carpenter.”
THERE’S AN H&R BLOCK ON FULTON STREET
— Menendez can’t call psychiatrist in trial, but sitting senators could be name-checked or called to testify from POLITICO’s Ry Rivard: “Stein also denied attempts by Menendez’s defense team to depose a Qatar-linked investment company in London. Menendez is accused of using his office — and leadership of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee — to benefit Qatar as a New Jersey developer accused of bribing Menendez was seeking a major investment from the company. Menendez’s defense team had hoped the depositions would help undercut the government’s argument about the company’s links to the Qatari government, though it is run by a member of the Qatari royal family, and about how important the senator’s actions were to seal the deal between the investors and the New Jersey developer. Menendez got one win: He will be allowed to call an accountant to testify about his finances, though that expert will not be allowed to characterize whether that lifestyle was extravagant or not.”
UNCLE SIDNEY WANTS YOU
— Jury Selection Continues in Robert Menendez Corruption Trial from the New York Times’ Tracey Tully, Benjamin Weiser, and Nicholas Fandos: “The judge, Sidney H. Stein, spent all of Monday questioning prospective jurors, largely in a private chamber outside the federal courtroom in Manhattan. But the day ended without seating any of the dozen jurors he needs to sit for up to two months.”
ALREADY BEHIND SCHEDULE
— Judge struggles to seat impartial jurors at Sen. Bob Menendez’s corruption trial: ‘I’m a news junkie’ from the New York Post’s Priscilla DeGregory and Ben Kochman: “In total, Stein excused 27 potential jurors Tuesday after previously letting about three dozen go on Monday for logistical reasons or for bias. It’s unclear whether he excused the self-proclaimed news junkie. The trial is slated to last through July, which eliminated many prospective panelists who said they couldn’t sit on a case that long because of their jobs, vacation plans or medical reasons.”
OPTIMISTIC?
— US Senator Menendez’s corruption trial on verge of getting jury from Reuters’ Jonathan Stempel: “A jury for U.S. Senator Robert Menendez’s corruption trial could be seated as soon as Wednesday … U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein questioned 32 prospective jurors on Tuesday in his Manhattan courtroom. They had said they could be could be impartial toward New Jersey’s senior senator… ‘We are making progress,’ Stein said.”
THE LONELY GUY
— Jury selection continues in Menendez corruption trial from NJ Spotlight’s Brenda Flanagan: “Menendez sat alone at the defense table on Tuesday while Judge Sidney Stein continued interviewing prospective jurors in a chamber away from the federal courtroom, sifting through 150 and vetting each person who said they were unable to sit for the trial.”
GURBIR AND ME, TOO
— Trump VP contenders, sitting senators headline Menendez trial potential witness list from Fox News’ Jamie Joseph and Jake Gibson: “Several sitting U.S. senators — including a couple rumored to be in consideration for the GOP vice presidential nod — are among a lengthy list of prominent individuals who could be called as witnesses in the ongoing corruption trial of Democrat Sen. Bob Menendez, potential jurors were told on Tuesday. The list included: David Axelrod, former political strategist for former President Barack Obama; Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.; Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.; Sen. Chris Coons, D-Delaware; Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y.; Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia; former Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.; former Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin; former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.; Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C.; Sen. Kristen Sinema, I-Ariz.; and Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland.”
* SKETCH ARTIST from Andrea Shepard via CBS News.
ARCHIVES: Senator on Trial: Day 1