In New York City, the corruption trial of Senator Robert Menendez is reaching its climax as the jury begins its deliberations. Menendez, who has maintained his innocence throughout the trial, is facing charges of bribery, wire fraud, extortion, obstruction of justice, and acting as a foreign agent of Egypt. His wife, Nadine Menendez, and two businessmen, Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, are also implicated in the case but have pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors argue that Menendez abused his position as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to prioritize personal gain, alleging that he accepted bribes in the form of gold bars and substantial amounts of cash. The alleged bribes were given by the businessmen in exchange for official acts from the senator.

During the trial, Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Pomerantz accused Menendez of putting "greed first" and asserted that the evidence against him was compelling. However, Menendez's defense team, led by attorney Adam Fee, argued that their client's actions were lawful and normal. Fee maintained that the prosecution had failed to meet its burden of proving that the cash and gold were given as bribes.

The trial has seen a total of 29 witnesses testify, including Ted McKinney, a former under secretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, who recounted a phone call with Menendez where the senator allegedly urged him to stop interfering with his constituent's business interests. Prosecutors also presented evidence that Menendez aided Egyptian officials in granting Hana's company a monopoly on halal certification for U.S. food exported to Egypt, resulting in increased costs for American meat suppliers.

The jury, which received the case on Friday afternoon, will now have to consider all the evidence and arguments presented during the trial before reaching a verdict. If found guilty, Menendez's political career could face significant repercussions, although he has so far resisted calls to resign from his position in the Senate.

The trial has garnered substantial attention due to the high-profile nature of the charges and Menendez's tenure as a three-term senator. As the deliberations continue, the public eagerly awaits the jury's decision, which will determine the future of Senator Menendez and his co-defendants in this complex corruption case.