NJ’s high federal prosecutor testifies for presidency in Sen. Bob Menendez prosecution

New Jersey’s high federal prosecutor testified Wednesday at Sen. Bob Menendez ‘s bribery trial that the Democrat sought to debate the prosecution of a New Jersey actual property developer with him earlier than recommending him to the publish after Joe Biden gained the 2020 presidential election.

U.S. Lawyer Philip R. Sellinger’s revelation in testimony that can proceed on Thursday represented the second time within the five-week-old Manhattan federal courtroom trial {that a} high regulation enforcement determine has stated Menendez sought to talk about a prison case affecting a New Jersey businessman.

Final week, a former New Jersey lawyer normal testified that Menendez twice confronted him a few pending prison case affecting a New Jersey businessman, and each occasions the lawyer normal refused to debate the topic.

Prosecutors say making an attempt to intervene in prison instances was a method Menendez, 70, tried to reward businessmen who paid him and his spouse bribes of gold bars, tens of 1000’s of {dollars} in money and a automobile.

When prosecutors charged Menendez, his spouse and three businessmen final fall, they stated in courtroom papers that Menendez advisable Sellinger as U.S. lawyer as a result of he believed he might affect Sellinger to guard Fred Daibes, a distinguished New Jersey actual property developer and longtime buddy who confronted federal prison costs.

Daibes is standing trial with Menendez, together with one other businessman, Wael Hana. All three have pleaded not responsible. A 3rd businessman, Jose Uribe, accomplished 4 days on the witness stand on Wednesday after pleading responsible and agreeing to testify in opposition to the others.

A trial for Nadine Menendez was postponed on Wednesday till at the very least August, relying on the tempo of her restoration from surgical procedure for breast most cancers. She too has pleaded not responsible.

Sellinger, who has held New Jersey’s high federal regulation enforcement publish since December 2021, will not be accused of any wrongdoing. He testified that he had been buddies with Menendez because the early 2000s when he started contributing to his campaigns for Congress and held political fundraisers for him.

The connection grew over time as they more and more had dinners collectively and performed golf with their sons, and Sellinger got here to consider that Menendez would nominate him to be New Jersey’s high federal prosecutor if Hillary Clinton gained the 2016 presidential race, he stated.

Protection legal professionals within the bribery case in opposition to Sen. Bob Menendez performed their cross-examination Wednesday, making an attempt to color a key witness for the prosecution as a longtime liar. The witness stated he bribed the New Jersey senator and his spouse with a brand new Mercedes. NBC New York’s Jonathan Dienst stories.

When Menendez bought married within the fall of 2020, Sellinger attended the marriage, the place he additionally had seen Daibes, Sellinger testified.

After Joe Biden gained the 2020 election for president, Sellinger stated he met with Menendez in his Washington workplace to speak concerning the U.S. lawyer publish. He stated he shared his imaginative and prescient for the workplace.

Then, he stated, Menendez talked about that Daibes had a prison case and that the senator believed he “was being handled unfairly.”

“And he stated he hoped that if I turned U.S. lawyer, I might take a look at it rigorously,” Sellinger recalled.

Sellinger stated he informed Menendez that he did not know something about it and that he deliberate to have a look at all instances in his workplace rigorously.

The next day, Sellinger stated, he known as Menendez after recalling that he had handled a lawsuit that was hostile to Daibes whereas he was in personal observe and that the Justice Division would possibly determine to recuse him from something involving Daibes in consequence.

Sellinger recalled that Menendez stated he understood, however days later, the senator informed him that the White Home needed a number of potential candidates to be supplied for nomination and he had determined he would now not suggest Sellinger for the publish.

When Sellinger realized a couple of months later that the particular person in line to get the job was now not going to get it, he stated he reached out to Menendez to remind him that he was nonetheless .

He stated he then obtained a name from a political marketing consultant who had previously been director of Menendez’s New Jersey workplace and was requested about his plans for the U.S. lawyer’s workplace if he bought the job.

Sellinger stated he repeated what he had informed Menendez, together with that he anticipated he is perhaps recused from the Daibes case on account of his work on the lawsuit affecting him. Even so, although, Sellinger stated Menendez informed him within the spring that he was recommending he be nominated for the job.

A key witness who admits making payoffs stated he had a number of conferences with Sen. Bob Menendez, looking for his assist to attempt to cease two prison investigations. Information 4’s Jonathan Dienst stories.

After he was sworn in, Sellinger stated, he referred his potential battle of curiosity relating to Daibes to the Justice Division in Washington on his first day as U.S. lawyer and was informed the next week that he will need to have nothing to do with the case.

Three months later, he stated, the political marketing consultant requested to satisfy him for lunch and, after normal dialog concerning the job, stated he needed to ask him a query.

“I stated: ‘Let me cease you there,’ ” Sellinger testified. “As U.S. lawyer, I am not allowed to have any conversations concerning the official enterprise of the workplace with any elected federal officers or their representatives.”

Sellinger stated he known as Menendez in spring 2022 to ask him to talk at a public ceremony celebrating Sellinger’s appointment as U.S. lawyer.

“He stated: ‘I’m going to move,’ ” Sellinger recalled.

Sellinger stated the senator then stated: “The one factor worse than not having a relationship with the US lawyer is individuals considering you could have a relationship with the US lawyer and also you don’t.”

Assistant U.S. Lawyer Lara Pomerantz requested him what he understood Menendez to be saying.

“We now not had a relationship,” Sellinger stated.

On cross-examination that can proceed Thursday morning, protection lawyer Avi Weitzman requested Sellinger if Menendez up to now 20 years had ever requested him to do something improper.

“I by no means believed him to be asking me to do something improper or unethical,” Sellinger answered.