Prosecutors: Sen. Menendez 'Sold His Office' For Ritzy Trips

NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) — U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez "sold his office for a lifestyle he couldn't afford" by accepting luxury trips from a wealthy doctor seeking political influence in return, a government prosecutor told jurors Wednesday during opening statements of the Democrat's corruption trial.

Menendez, New Jersey's senior U.S. senator, later lied about the trips on Senate disclosure forms, Justice Department attorney Peter Koski said as he laid out the government's case against Menendez and the doctor, Florida ophthalmologist Salomon Melgen.

The two were indicted in 2015 and face multiple fraud and bribery charges in a case that could threaten Menendez's political career and potentially the makeup of a deeply divided U.S. Senate if he's convicted.

Menendez has denied the allegations. Before entering the courthouse Wednesday, Menendez made what his aid said would be his last public statement until the trial is over, 1010 WINS' Roger Stern reported.

"I have committed my entire adult life, since I was 19, to fighting for the people of New Jersey. Never, not once, have I dishonored my public office,'' Menendez said with his daughter and son behind him. "I started my public career fighting corruption and I have always acted in accordance with the law. I believe when all of the facts are known, I will be vindicated."

The 63-year-old getting choked up as he thanked those who have stood by him, CBS2's Janelle Burrell reported.

"I appreciate my family, my son and daughter who are here today," he said. "I appreciate all of my supporters who have stood by me as I try to clear my name. I am thankful for the countless New Jerseyeans who either called me or called my office to say they've had my back, as I've had theirs." 

Koski described Menendez pressuring government officials to help Melgen with securing visas for his foreign girlfriends, a lucrative port security contract in the Dominican Republic and a multimillion-dollar Medicare dispute. Individually and through his company, Melgen also contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to Menendez's legal defense fund and entities that supported his re-election.

"He went to bat when Dr. Melgen asked, and Dr. Melgen asked frequently," said Koski, who discounted defense lawyers' contention in court filings that the trips were innocent gifts between friends. "There's no friendship exception to bribery. There's no friendship exception to breaking the law."

The U.S. attorney called Menendez "Melgen's personal United States Senator." 

The defense said the alleged bribes were simply examples of friends vacations together, WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reported. They said that most of Melgen's contributions went to committees Menendez didn't control and that he didn't control the people he lobbied on Melgen's behalf.

Among the gifts prosecutors say Melgen gave Menendez were flights on Melgen's private jet, vacations at Melgen's private villa in the Dominican Republic frequented by celebrities like Beyonce and Jay Z, and a three-night stay at a luxury Paris hotel valued at nearly $5,000.

Melgen also directed more than $750,000 in campaign contributions to entities that supported Menendez, according to the indictment, which alleges they were inducements to get Menendez to use his influence on Melgen's behalf.

Prosecutors say that lobbying included a three-year effort to help Melgen avoid paying $8.9 million for overbilling Medicare, a meeting with an assistant secretary of state to help Melgen in a contract dispute over port screening equipment in the Dominican Republic, and helping one of Melgen's girlfriends and her sister get into the country after their visas were denied.

Melgen's sentencing in a separate Medicare fraud case has been delayed until after his trial with Menendez.

Jurors will have to wade through complex legal concepts, including whether Menendez's interactions with executive branch officials were "official acts" as defined under federal bribery statutes. That will depend on how a 2016 U.S. Supreme Court decision reversing the bribery conviction of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, a Republican, is interpreted.

Along with picking three more jurors needed before opening statements could begin Wednesday, the morning featured some sparring between attorneys for Menendez and Judge William Walls.

Attorney Ray Brown accused Walls of disparaging Menendez in his opinion denying Menendez's motion to postpone the trial on days of important Senate votes. Walls continually interrupted to deny the allegation.

Walls chided defense attorneys for filing a motion on what to include in jury instructions at the end of the trial.

When attorney Abbe Lowell pointed out that the motion was filed according to the judge's order from December, Walls replied, "Fine. Bill me."

The trial expected to last six to eight weeks.

Burrell asked the senator's spokesperson if the senator plans to testify in his own defense. He said it's up to his attorneys.

Menendez said he plans to be at the trial daily but will decide whether to return to Washington to cast votes in the Senate based on the issue and whether his vote could make a difference. The judge last week ruled against an attempt by Menendez to pause the trial on days when important Senate votes were scheduled.

Menendez is up for re-election next year. If he is convicted and steps down or is forced out of the Senate by a two-thirds majority vote before Gov. Chris Christie leaves office Jan. 16, the Republican governor would pick a successor. A Democrat has a large polling and financial advantage in November's election to replace Christie.

Democrats in New Jersey, including junior U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, have stood by Menendez. Booker was in court on Wednesday to support him.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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