Ex-NJ Sen. Bob Menendez banned from holding public office in state after conviction

Disgraced former Sen. Bob Menendez, D-NJ, has been permanently barred from holding public office in New Jersey after his conviction for taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in gold bars and cash, the New Jersey attorney general announced.

Menendez, sentenced to 11 years in prison in January, is also prohibited from holding any position of public trust in the state, New Jersey Superior Court Judge Robert Lougy ruled.

The former lawmaker was found guilty in July 2024 of 16 counts of bribery, extortion, conspiracy and obstruction of justice.

He is the first US senator in American history to be convicted of working as a foreign agent, and his sentence is the harshest ever handed down to a US senator. 

“Critical to preserving the public’s faith and trust in government institutions is ensuring that elected officials who commit crimes involving their offices don’t find new opportunities to regain positions of power,” New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin said in a statement. 

“Too many people in New Jersey have a cynical viewpoint that corruption is a routine, widespread feature of our politics. We hope the court’s decision sends a message that it is not acceptable, and it will carry consequences.”

Menendez, the former chairman of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, will face a fourth-degree contempt-of-court charge if he ever applies for public office or public employment.

According to federal prosecutors, Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez, accepted bribes between 2018 and 2022.

Along with gold bars and cash, they received a luxury convertible car, home furnishings and other items of value, the state attorney general’s office said.

Mrs. Menendez was also accused of receiving paychecks for a job that did not exist.

In exchange, the senator agreed to use his power and influence on Capitol Hill to protect the bribe payers’ interests and to benefit foreign countries, including by taking a series of official acts to benefit the government of Egypt.

The indictment against Menendez came after co-defendant Jose Uribe, who allegedly gifted Nadine a Mercedes convertible, accepted a plea deal and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. 

Menendez had pleaded his innocence and claimed the process was political and “corrupted to the core.”

“I hope President [Donald] Trump cleans up the cesspool and restores the integrity to the system,” Menendez told reporters at his sentencing.  

Fox News’ Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.