In a Manhattan court on Monday, New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez pleaded not guilty to obstruction charges contained in a new federal indictment. These charges were added to the bribery and corruption charges that Menendez already faced. Menendez's wife, Nadine, also pleaded not guilty to the new charges.

According to federal prosecutors, the couple allegedly attempted to disguise bribes as loans by accepting a new Mercedes-Benz and a mortgage payment. It is alleged that Menendez and Nadine instructed their attorneys to mislead federal investigators by claiming the payments were loans, despite knowing that they were, in fact, bribes.

The prosecution further claims that when the Menendezs became aware of the federal investigation in 2022, they engaged in efforts to cover up the bribe payments. The trial for Menendez, his wife, and two New Jersey businessmen, all of whom pleaded not guilty to the obstruction charges, is scheduled to take place in May.

During the court proceedings, Menendez's request to adjourn the trial date in light of the new charges was denied by Judge Sidney Stein. However, it should be noted that a third businessman involved in the case, Jose Uribe, pleaded guilty earlier this month and has agreed to cooperate with the prosecution. Uribe allegedly provided Nadine Menendez with a luxury convertible in exchange for the senator's help.

With the new indictment, the total number of charges against Bob Menendez now stands at 18. Prosecutors allege that Menendez accepted various gifts, including gold bars, cash, and luxury watches, in exchange for performing official favors for Uribe and the governments of Egypt and Qatar. Menendez is the first sitting member of Congress to be charged with conspiracy by a public official to act as a foreign agent.

Throughout these developments, Senator Menendez has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has criticized the prosecution as being "overzealous." Despite the new charges, the trial is proceeding as planned, and the senator and his wife will have the opportunity to defend themselves in court.