By Jamie Joseph , Anders Hagstrom , Maria Paronich (Fox News)
The jury in the federal corruption trial of Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and two of his business associates, Fred Daibes and Wael Hana, found Menendez guilty on all charges after a grueling nine-week complex trial in Manhattan.
Menendez pleaded not guilty to federal charges that he accepted an array of bribes in exchange for helping foreign governments. Jurors deliberated for three days. The conviction on all 16 counts against him exposes Menendez to a sentence of more than 200 years in prison, though such a heavy sentence is unlikely.
The judge scheduled the senator’s sentencing date for Oct. 29.
Menendez condemned the decision in a statement outside the courtroom, so far refusing to resign despite overwhelming calls to do so. His attorneys say they plan to appeal the verdict.
“I am deeply disappointed in the decision,” Menendez said, claiming that he “never violated a public oath,” and that he had “never been a foreign agent.”
Prosecutors delivered a brief press conference outside the courtroom following the verdict.
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“This case has always been about shocking levels of corruption. This wasn’t politics as usual, this was politics for profit,” said U.S. Attorney for Southern District of New York Damien Williams. “Years of selling [Menendez’] office for profit has finally come to an end.”
