Sen. Robert Menendez said Sunday that he does not believe his indictment on corruption and bribery charges was orchestrated by the Obama administration because he opposed the president’s policies on Cuba and Iran.
“I cannot imagine that an administration would go to such lengths and undermine our constitutional democracy,” the New Jersey Democrat said on “Fox News Sunday,” his first TV interview since the April 1 indictment.
In the immediate aftermath of the indictment, Mr. Menendez said it was an attempt to silence him but did not elaborate.
Federal prosecutors charged Mr. Menendez with accepting nearly $1 million in gifts, travel and campaign contributions from longtime friend Salomon Melgen, a wealthy Florida ophthalmologist who the senator also tried to assist in settling allegations of Medicare fraud.
Mr. Menendez insisted that his relationship with Mr. Melgen had not betrayed the public trust.
“We will have an opportunity in court to make the entire case, and when all the facts are known, I know that I will be vindicated and we will win,” the senator said.
Mr. Menendez and Mr. Melgen have pleaded not guilty.
As the ranking Democrat on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Mr. Menendez had been an outspoken critic of Mr. Obma’s moves to normalize relations with Cuba, and had pushed legislation that would guarantee Congress has an opportunity to reject a deal with Iran to rein in its nuclear weapons program.
Mr. Menendez stepped down as the committee’s ranking member after the indictment, but he continues to push the bill he co-authored with Sen. Bob Corker, Tennessee Republican and committee chairman.
Pressed by host Chris Wallace on whether anyone in the administration has pressured Mr. Menendez to pull his bill, the senator said he would not divulge conversations he has had about the legislation.
But he said he remains undeterred. “I am not backing off,” Mr. Menendez said.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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