Federal Judge Tosses 4 Bribery Counts In Menendez Indictment
NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A federal judge has dismissed four out of 22 bribery counts against U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey and an associate.
Menendez and Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen each faced two of the counts stemming from two $20,000 donations made by Melgen to a legal defense fund that benefited Menendez.
Menendez is accused of taking almost $1 million in campaign donations and other goods from Melgen, CBS News reported.
The judge dismissed two counts against Menendez and two against Melgen, but the rest of the charges have survived and the case remains largely intact, CBS News reported.
Menendez and Melgen were named in a 22-count indictment that accused the longtime Democratic congressman of accepting campaign donations and gifts from Melgen in exchange for political influence.
The judge denied the pair's claims in motions to dismiss the indictment that prosecutors gave improper instructions and made false statements to the grand jury.
The judge also rejected Menendez's argument that his actions were protected under a clause in the Constitution that shields elected officials from being questioned by prosecutors about legislative work.
In June, the judge also declined to move the case from NJ to Washington DC.
(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
