Court papers show Sen. Bob Menendez may testify his wife kept him in the dark, unaware of any crimes

Newly unsealed tribunal papers amusement that Sen. Bob Menendez whitethorn question exoneration astatine a May bribery proceedings by blaming his wife, saying she kept him successful the acheronian astir thing that could beryllium amerciable astir her dealings with New Jersey businessmen

NEW YORK -- Sen. Bob Menendez whitethorn question exoneration astatine his May bribery proceedings by blaming his wife, saying she kept him successful the acheronian astir thing that could beryllium amerciable astir her dealings with New Jersey businessmen, according to tribunal papers unsealed Tuesday.

Several sentences successful a January tribunal filing by lawyers for the Democrat were unsealed successful Manhattan national tribunal aft immoderate quality organizations insisted that nationalist disclosure was required. Menendez’s lawyers had redacted the documents, claiming that the sentences revealed proceedings strategy that could bias the assemblage pool.

According to the passages that were unsealed, Menendez plans to attest astir what helium believes were exculpatory communications with his wife, Nadine, if helium decides to instrumentality the witnesser basal successful his defense.

“While these explanations, and the marital communications connected which they rely, volition thin to exonerate Senator Menendez by demonstrating the lack of immoderate improper intent connected Senator Menendez’s part, they whitethorn inculpate Nadine by demonstrating the ways successful which she withheld accusation from Senator Menendez oregon different led him to judge that thing unlawful was taking place,” the lawyers wrote.

As they sought to sever the trials of the legislator and his wife, the lawyers said they planned to asseverate astatine proceedings that Sen. Menendez lacked the cognition indispensable to perpetrate a transgression and did not hold to immoderate of the conspiracies outlined successful the indictment against him.

With specified a proceedings strategy, the lawyers said they whitethorn person to argue, successful effect, that immoderate crimes progressive the actions of others, including his wife, alternatively than the senator. They added, though, that they were not alert of immoderate unlawful conduct.

Although the question to sever the trials was initially denied, Judge Sidney H. Stein has since ruled that they tin instrumentality spot separately aft it was revealed that Nadine Menendez needs country successful the adjacent six weeks. Her proceedings is present delayed until astatine slightest July.

The Menendezes and 2 businessmen person pleaded not blameworthy to charges that they participated successful a bribery strategy successful which prosecutors accidental currency and golden bars were fixed to the mates successful instrumentality for the legislator carrying retired governmental favors. Bob Menendez chaired the almighty Senate Foreign Relations Committee until helium stepped down from the relation successful September due to the fact that of the allegations.

A 3rd businessman, Jose Uribe, has pleaded blameworthy to bribery charges and agreed to attest against the others astatine trial. Uribe said helium conspired with Nadine Menendez and others to supply her with a Mercedes-Benz successful instrumentality for entree to her husband’s powerfulness and influence.

According to the indictment, the Menendezes accepted bribes to assistance 1 businessmen get a lucrative meat-certification woody with Egypt and different subordinate get a woody with a Qatari concern fund.

The redacted passages successful the March filing were unsealed aft media organizations led by NBCUniversal Media and including The Associated Press argued that the public's close to entree the documents overrode immoderate concerns by Menendez's attorneys.