Menendez Breaks Silence on Wife’s Breast Cancer Diagnosis After Accusing Her of Role in Bribery Charges – One America News Network
OAN’s Brooke Mallory
10:48 AM – Thursday, May 16, 2024
One day after accusing his wife, Nadine Menendez, of being the reason behind his criminal bribery allegations, Senator Bob Menendez announced that she is battling breast cancer.
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“As a result of constant press inquiries and reporters following my wife, she has asked me to disclose her medical condition,” Menendez (D-N.J.) said on Thursday. “Nadine is suffering from Grade 3 breast cancer, which will require her to have mastectomy surgery.”
“We are, of course, concerned about the seriousness and advanced stage of the disease,” he continued. “She will require follow-up surgery and possibly radiation treatment. We hope and pray for the best results.”
In September 2023, Menendez, his spouse, and three men from New Jersey—Wael Hana, Fred Daibes, and Jose Uribe—were charged in connection with an alleged conspiracy in which the pair purportedly accepted payments for a Mercedes convertible, gold bars, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash in exchange for Menendez’s political influence.
The prosecution claims that the legislator’s conduct later benefited the governments of Qatar and Egypt. The 70-year-old Democrat from New Jersey is accused of 16 federal offenses, including extortion, bribery, serving as a foreign agent, and obstruction of justice.
He has entered a not guilty plea and refutes any misconduct.
Menendez’s defense attorney, in addition to Menendez, claimed during opening arguments on Wednesday that his wife is actually the one to blame for the acceptance of cash payments and gold bars. He argued that she concealed these deals from him.
The jury was told by Menendez’s attorney, Avi Weitzman, that the senator was “unaware” of the gold bars and cash that were found in his New Jersey residence in June 2022.
He maintained that his wife was the one who took the extravagant bribes, keeping this fact hidden from him. She then allegedly acted as a messenger for the senator, his co-defendants, and Egyptian authorities, Menendez went on to claim.
Weitzman also disclosed before the jury that Mrs. Menendez kept the gold bars locked in her own closet and that she allegedly leads a separate life from her spouse.
In a strange turn of events, the lawyer then displayed a picture of the Where’s Waldo comic book character to the jury and asked them to consider the question, “Where’s Bob?” as they listened to the trial.
Earlier this year, Mrs. Menendez asked for a separate trial from her husband and the New Jersey businessmen, stating in court documents a grave medical condition that has since been identified as breast cancer. This summer, she is expected to go on trial.
“Menendez is on trial with Mr. Daibes, a real estate developer, and businessman Mr. Hana. They, too, have pleaded not guilty. Proceedings are expected to last six to seven weeks,” The Independent reported.
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