‘This is what bribery looks like’: Sen. Menendez corruption trial gets underway

[mystery-ak]

 By Devlin Barrett September 6 at 1:01 PM

The bribery trial of Sen. Robert Menendez began Wednesday with a federal prosecutor denouncing what he called a seven-year stretch of corruption in the service of a wealthy Florida eye doctor.

“This is what bribery looks like,’’ said Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Koski in opening arguments at U.S. District Court in Newark. “These two defendants corrupted one of the most powerful offices in our country. The defendants didn’t just trade money for power, they also tried to cover it up.’’

Menendez (D) is accused of taking luxury trips, private jet rides and campaign donations from Salomon Melgen, a doctor in West Palm Beach. The two have spent years fighting the charges, saying their trips together were evidence only of their friendship, not crimes.

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/menendez-will-be-first-sitting-senator-in-almost-a-decade-to-face-corruption-trial/2017/09/05/6a023a78-9274-11e7-8754-d478688d23b4_story.html?utm_term=.8026ff5e4393