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By Jon Jackson
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Senator Bob Menendez on Thursday announced that his wife, Nadine Menendez, is being treated for breast cancer.
The New Jersey Democrat is on trial on charges that he accepted bribes in exchange for political favors. Prosecutors allege that he used his power and influence to gain lavish gifts, such as cash, gold bars, a Mercedes-Benz convertible, furniture and payments on a home mortgage.
Nadine Menendez is also charged in the case, but her trial was postponed until at least July due to what was described last month as a serious medical condition. Both have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
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The New York Times reported that while he was in Federal District Court in Manhattan, Menendez released a statement indicated his wife will undergo a mastectomy.
"We are of course concerned about the seriousness and advanced stage of the disease," Menendez said. "We hope and pray for the best results."
Newsweek reached out to Menendez's office via email on Thursday for comment.
Prosecutors allege that Menendez used his position on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to influence state and federal prosecutors, benefit Egypt, and facilitate business deals for Fred Daibes, a New Jersey real estate developer, and Wael Hana, an Egyptian American businessman.
Nadine Menendez's involvement is critical to the case. She is accused of helping to facilitate the acceptance and laundering of bribes, including selling gold bars and depositing the proceeds into personal bank accounts.
One of the prosecution's key challenges is to directly connect the alleged bribes to specific actions taken by Menendez. They plan to use extensive electronic records, including Google searches by Menendez about the value of gold bars, to demonstrate his knowledge and involvement in the scheme. The searches reportedly coincided with interactions with Daibes and Hana.
The trial has already influenced Menendez's political standing. Indicted in September 2023, he stepped down as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and has seen his support erode. He announced he will not seek reelection as a Democrat, but he left open the possibility of running as an independent. The outcome of this trial could have significant ramifications for his career and the broader political landscape in New Jersey.
Menendez's statement about his wife's cancer comes a day after his lawyers said during an opening statement in his trial that Nadine kept the senator unaware of gold bars and other alleged bribes she took.
Menendez's trial is expected to continue over the next few weeks. Meanwhile, several of his fellow senators have called for his resignation, including Cory Booker, a fellow New Jersey Democratic, who said: "I believe stepping down is best for those Senator Menendez has spent his life serving."
Update 5/16/24, 12:20 p.m. ET: This story has been updated to include more information.
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