Disgraced former senator. Bob Menendez has asked that any future sentencing be delayed until after his cancer-stricken wife's trial, saying the overlap is “too much to ask of a man.”
The 70-year-old New Jersey Democratic lawmaker, who was forced to resign after being convicted this summer, is scheduled to learn his fate on January 29, when he faces the equivalent of life in prison.
However, his wife, Nadine Menendez, 57, is scheduled to go to trial in the same case on January 21st, and when the verdict was handed down midway through the trial, she said that media coverage had “ruined the proceedings” against her. “There is a risk that this will happen,” Menendez's lawyer said. he said in a letter to the judge Thursday.
Nadine was originally scheduled to stand trial at the same time as her husband, but the case was postponed because she was diagnosed with breast cancer and needed treatment.
Bob said he wanted to be present throughout her trial to provide continued “emotional and physical support,” as it would “place a tremendous emotional burden on both Sen. Menendez and his family.” This is stated in a letter from Bob's attorney, Avi Weitzman.
“Asking him to sentence his wife during her criminal trial while she is battling a life-threatening illness is too much to ask of any man,” Weitzman wrote.
Weitzman said federal prosecutors have refused to agree to a delay until after Nadine's trial, which could last until March. Rather, they simply agreed to move up Bob's sentencing before his trial began.
But Weitzman says there is a risk that media coverage will “taint the jury pool” in her case if sentencing happens early.
Weitzman said Nadine's lawyers also plan to submit a letter asking for a postponement of sentencing.
Bob was found guilty by a jury in July of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in return for using his powerful seat in the Senate to advance the interests of three businessmen and the Egyptian and Qatari governments.
Some of the charges he was convicted of carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison.
At trial, prosecutors said Bob and Nadine accepted bribes in the form of 13 gold bars worth $150,000, hundreds of thousands in cash, a Mercedes and a no-show job.
Nadine was also charged with the same charges as her husband. She pleaded not guilty.
Bobb lost his bid for a new trial earlier this month, but is likely to appeal his conviction and sentence after sentencing.
The disgraced longtime Garden State senator avoided a conviction on unrelated corruption charges after a 2017 mistrial, but was forced to resign in August after his conviction.
