Alleged foreign agent Bob Menendez defends attending classified briefing

Despite facing an indictment last month on federal charges of being an unregistered foreign agent, Senator Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey) is still attending classified United States Senate briefings.

CNN congressional reporter Manu Raju confronted Menedez on Wednesday, with the embattled senator waving off concerns raised about the safety of classified US intelligence. Senator Menendez defended his attendance at the briefing, saying that getting an update on the Ukraine war was necessary as Congress debates sending a supplemental aid package to help the Ukrainian military continue to defend Russia's attempt to annex the Donbass region, along with Crimea.

"You know, Manu, I know you've gotta make news. Bottom line is, I have my security credentials, and an accusation is just that. It's not proof of anything," Menendez said before stepping onto an elevator.

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Menendez, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was charged with acting as an agent of the Egyptian government between 2018 and 2022. According to the indictment, the New Jersey senator "promised to take and took a series of acts on behalf of Egypt, including on behalf of Egyptian military and intelligence officials" in concert with his wife, Nadine, and fellow defendant Wael Hana.

That indictment came on the heels of a separate indictment accusing Menendez of accepting bribes of hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, a luxury vehicle, and several gold bars, allegedly in exchange for helping to shape US foreign policy in Egypt's favor. Despite the looming indictments, Menendez has refused demands from 30 of his Democratic senate colleagues to resign. New Jersey Democratic Governor Phil Murphy has also called for Menendez's resignation.

Sen. Menendez has not yet announced his intent to run for reelection to a fourth term in 2024, though Congressman Andy Kim (D-New Jersey) has already declared his campaign for Menendez's seat in next year's Democratic primary.

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