Menendez to be arraigned on new charges in obstruction and bribery scheme
By Kara Scannell, CNN
(CNN) — Sen. Bob Menendez and his wife will be arraigned on Monday on new charges that they tried to obstruct the federal investigation into bribery allegations.
Judge Sidney Stein set the arraignment for the Menendezes and two other New Jersey businessmen for 11 a.m. ET.
The Democratic senator from New Jersey was indicted earlier this week on 12 new felony charges including bribery and extortion. Prosecutors alleged he caused his lawyers to provide false information during interviews with authorities, including claiming that the alleged bribe payments were loans.
He and the three other defendants previously pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy. A fifth defendant, New Jersey businessman Jose Uribe, pleaded guilty last week and is cooperating with prosecutors.
Menendez has remained publicly defiant in the wake of the new charges. “I am innocent and will prove it no matter how many charges they continue to pile on,” he said earlier this week.
When asked by CNN’s Manu Raju earlier Thursday if he would resign following the release of the superseding indictment, the senator replied, “No.”
When asked if he would run for reelection, Menendez told CNN, “that’s another question.”
The-CNN-Wire
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