‘Gold Bar’ Sen. Bob Menendez sitting on $3.5M campaign cash despite $2M in legal bills: FEC filings
Embattled Sen. Bob Menendez is still flush with campaign cash despite blowing through about $2 million as he battles his indictment in court and weighs a possible independent reelection bid to the Senate.
Menendez’s (D-NJ) campaign apparatus had $3.57 million cash on hand after raising about $19,632 and spending $2.1 million between the beginning of April and May 15, according to a Thursday filing with the Federal Election Commission.
His largest expenditure during that period was $2 million to Paul Hastings, a law firm for “legal services.” Menendez entered that period with $5.67 million cash on hand, per the filing.
Earnings came from over a dozen donors and included some revenue from interest he accumulated from several banks.
Back in March, Menendez announced that he wouldn’t seek a fourth full Senate term as a Democrat, but kept the door open to a run as an independent if he gets “exonerated” on federal corruption charges.
The Garden State Democrat is facing 18 criminal counts on allegations of corruption, bribery, and acting as a foreign agent for Egypt and Qatar.
Menendez and his wife stand accused of accepting gold bars, a Mercedes-Benz convertible, and other gifts from a trio of New Jersey businessmen in exchange for political favors.
He has pleaded not guilty and his trial is ongoing. Last week, his attorney pursued a unique defense strategy — blaming his wife, Nadine.
“Where were the gold bars found? [The] gold bars were found in a locked closet. It is Nadine’s closet,” Menendez’s attorney Avi Weitzman said during opening statement last week.
Nadine was initially slated to stand trial with her husband. But that has been postponed and she has since announced a breast cancer diagnosis and that she will undergo a mastectomy.
The Democratic senator later defended his wife during a clash with The Post.
“Don’t be such a bloodsucker! She has cancer,” Menendez snarled at a Post reporter.
Given that the incumbent senator declined to vie for reelection as a Democrat, Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ) is the clear favorite to lock down the party nod during the June 4 primary.
What we know about Bob Menendez's indictment
New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez is facing federal corruption charges related to an alleged years-long scheme.
Menendez allegedly accepted bribes, including gold bars, in exchange for helping three businessmen, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe and Fred Daibes, and the country of Egypt, according to officials.
Menendez and his wife, Nadine, were charged with taking hundreds of thousands in bribes, according to a Manhattan federal indictment.
When the feds raided Menendez’s Englewood Cliffs home in June 2022, they found a 2019 Mercedes C-Class, at least 13 gold bars, and $566,000 in cash “stuffed in envelopes.” Another $70,000 in cash was found in Nadine’s safe deposit box.
The feds say Menendez also received mortgage payments and paid for a low-show or no-show job and home furnishings.
This isn’t the first time the Democrat is facing federal corruption charges. In 2015, Menendez was accused of taking gifts from Florida eye surgeon Salomon Melgen.
The “gifts” included a Paris vacation, flights on a private jet, and vacations at Melgen’s villa in the Dominican Republic.
His potential Republican foe will be determined that same day as well.
Should Menendez opt to run as an Independent, he will need to secure 800 signatures by June 4.
Menendez previously prevailed against a slew of bribery charges in 2017 due to a hung jury and managed to win reelection in 2018.
A cacophony of Republicans and even some Democrats such as Sen. John Fetterman (D-Penn.) have demanded he step down from his Senate seat, but the New Jersyan has refused.
Polls show him wildly underwater with voters back home should he decide to jump into the arena.
