The legal proceeding against US democratic senator, Robert Menendez acquires today new nuances after the legislators requested to move the federal investigation of the government from New Jersey to this capital.
Menendez, who faces 14 charges by the prosecution, based his request this Monday under the criterion that almost none of the accusations occurred in the Northeastern territory that he represents in the Upper House.
The senator also noted that while the process is being developed in the capital this facilitate his work in the capitol and in that way he would not have to abandon his duties to attend the appointments impose by the judicial authorities.
He added that if the trial was held in New Jersey there would have more chance that the members of the Jury do not have the level of fairness required to conduct a fair trial.
The official indictment of the Government against Menendez, issued on April 1, ensures that he did political favors to his friend and fund donor, Salomon Mengen, a wealthy ophthalmologist of Florida, whose lawyers also requested the change of venue for the process against his client.
This businessman, who faces 76 charges of corruption, financed the stay of the legislator on a ‘five star’ hotel in Paris, France, for three days in a presidential suite costing $ 1,600 per night, plus several visits to Dominican Republic, and granted more than 750,000 dollars in campaign contributions.
According to the Government incriminating text, the democrat Senator allegedly aided Mengen and even intervened on behalf of his friend in a dispute bills of Medicare for millions of dollars, and helped him get preference in contracts for installing security systems in Dominican ports.
He also facilitated visas for brides of the entrepreneur: a Ukrainian, another Brazilian and a Dominican.
Menendez, who cleared innocent of these charges, is of Cuban origin and is vehemently opposed to the decision of President Barack Obama to restore diplomatic relations with the island and create conditions for normalization of bilateral ties.
The federal prosecutor’s office has not yet ruled on the request of Menendez and Mengens lawyers to change the venue of the investigation.
(Prensa Latina)