Entering its third week, U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez’s (D-NJ) corruption trial resumed on Tuesday with the prosecution taking a critical hit.
Federal Judge Sidney Stein on Friday blocked certain evidence the government had sought to use to support of its case, saying it violated the Constitution’s “speech or debate” clause that grants members of Congress a form of immunity when it relates to official duties as lawmakers.
Returning from a week-long hiatus, attorneys for the defense and the prosecution spent much of Tuesday morning tussling with Stein over his ruling, with the government asking the judge to reconsider. Prosecutors contend Menendez accepted bribes in exchange for sending billions of dollars of U.S. military aid to Egypt, among other charges.
