Bribery or friendship? Jury set to weigh Menendez evidence

NEWARK » Unlike recent New Jersey corruption trials that have featured government cooperators spinning tales of money-laundering rabbis or politically motivated traffic jams, the bribery trial of Sen. Bob Menendez has featured flight logs, emails and testimony about the nuances of conversations the Democrat had with government officials.

The trial lacked a blockbuster witness, but prosecutors believe a steady stream of evidence will convince jurors that Menendez took gifts from a wealthy longtime friend in exchange for using his political influence to lobby for his pal’s business interests.

Menendez and the friend, Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen, are charged with conspiracy, bribery, fraud and related offenses. Menendez also is charged with making false statements for not disclosing the gifts on Senate ethics forms. Both men have pleaded not guilty and say they did nothing wrong.

The stakes are high: If Menendez is convicted he could face pressure to resign from the Senate, or could be voted out by a two-thirds majority. Were he to step down before Gov. Chris Christie leaves office in January, the Republican governor would have the authority to choose Menendez’s replacement.

Jurors received instructions from U.S. District Judge William Walls on Wednesday, and were to hear closing arguments on Thursday. The trial is in its ninth week. Menendez took to the Dominican Republic and to Florida, where Melgen’s business is based, dating to the late 1990s.

The defense also sought to cast doubt on one of the bribery counts that centered on Menendez’s October 2010 trip to Florida, paid for by Melgen, by presenting testimony that it was part of Menendez’s duties as chair of a national Senate Democratic campaign committee.