MSNBC anchor Alicia Menendez found herself in the awkward position Tuesday of breaking the news of her embattled father's latest legal troubles.
Indicted Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez said his wealthy businessman friend gave the New Jersey lawmaker lavish gifts, including F1 race tickets and a Patek Philippe watch, in exchange for an investment deal with a Qatari real estate company. He was exposed to new suspicions that he had given a gift.
Alicia Menendez replaced Nicole Wallace as host of “Deadline: The White House” when the Justice Department slapped her with an indictment to replace the senator.
“I have to take a break,” the senator's daughter said with about five minutes left in her two-hour guest assignment. “And we'll bring you the latest news shortly after this.”
After the commercial ended, Menendez went off-camera and MSNBC host Ari Melber greeted viewers about the latest allegations against the senator.
“Hello, this is Ari Melber, and I have some legal news to share with you,” he said, without explaining the host change to viewers. “New Jersey U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez now faces new charges in a second superseding indictment presented to a federal grand jury by prosecutors at the Department of Justice.”
Melber said he will examine the charges in more detail on his show “The Beat,” which begins after the next break.
The anchor change was first reported by Mediaite and also noted by a Daily Beast reporter. Posted in X: “Towards the end of today's broadcast of MSNBC's 'Deadline: The White House,' anchor Alicia Menendez, filling in for Nicole Wallace, confronts Ari Melber about Sen. Bob Menendez's latest corruption charges. I will take over the report. The New Jersey senator is the MSNBC host's father. ”
The scandal-plagued senator was indicted on bribery charges in September and pleaded not guilty.
After the indictment, her daughter told MSNBC viewers: That being said, MSNBC and her colleagues at NBC News, they have been aggressively reporting on this story and will continue to do so as they deserve. ”
