The former senator of New Jersey, Robert Menendez, has found himself in a precarious situation.
Letters of support have been pouring in from a variety of sources, including a convicted drug trafficker, a U.S. diplomat once allegedly targeted for recruitment by Cuba as a spy, and a former New Jersey mayor who was indicted on corruption charges. This comes in anticipation of his sentencing, which is scheduled for later this month.
According to The New York Post, Menendez's legal team submitted a hefty 400-page document last week. This document contained over 120 letters from the former senator's family, friends, and past associates, all attesting to his good character and lifetime commitment to public service.
The 71-year-old Democrat, who served three terms, was found guilty on 16 counts of bribery and corruption in July. The jury concluded that Menendez had accepted gold bars and hundreds of thousands of dollars from three New Jersey businessmen, as well as the Egyptian and Qatari governments. His sentencing is set to take place in Manhattan federal court on January 29.
Two of the businessmen, Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, were convicted alongside Menendez. His wife, Nadine Arslanian, is also facing corruption charges, to which she has pleaded not guilty. Despite the charges and the conviction, Menendez has consistently maintained his innocence and has expressed his intention to appeal.
Manuel Diaz, a high school and law school classmate of Menendez who was convicted of trafficking cocaine for Colombian drug lords in 1997, wrote a letter to Judge Sidney Stein. Diaz, who also donated to Menendez's political campaigns, asked the judge to "temper justice with compassion and give Senator Menendez a second chance."
Diaz credits Menendez with helping him find employment and giving him a second chance after serving two years in federal prison. He writes, "He not only gave me a chance at rebuilding my life, he helped me in my journey making amends to society for my transgressions."
Felix Roque, a former mayor of West New York, NJ, who was indicted for corruption in 2015, also wrote a letter in support of Menendez. Roque, a medical doctor and retired US Army colonel, was charged with accepting nearly $250,000 in bribes in exchange for referring patients to medical imaging centers led by a criminal network. He was later found not guilty.
Roque's letter to Stein highlights Menendez's understanding of the healthcare challenges faced by the Latino community and his readiness to address them. He writes, "His understanding of the healthcare challenges faced by our Latino community and his readiness to address them have always resonated deeply with me, reinforcing our parallel paths in service to others."
Mari Carmen Aponte, the current US ambassador to Panama, also penned a letter in support of Menendez. She writes, "I have known him as a faithful public servant, serving the people of New Jersey and the United States."
Aponte's nomination by President Barack Obama to become ambassador to El Salvador in 2009 was met with opposition from Senate Republicans due to rumors that she had once dated a man accused of being a Cuban spy. Menendez fought hard for the Senate to confirm her nomination, which was eventually accepted.
Menendez's children, Alicia Menendez, an MSNBC anchor, and her brother, Democratic New Jersey Congressman Robert Menendez, also submitted letters to Stein. Alicia writes, "A legacy of service 51 years in the making has been reduced to a punch line about gold bars."
Menendez's legal team is arguing for a sentence of up to 27 months, instead of the 12 years recommended by the probation department. Meanwhile, Nadine, Menendez's wife, who was charged alongside her husband, is scheduled to face her own trial next month. The outcome of these trials will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the Menendez family and their legacy.
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