Ashley Oliver is a Justice Department reporter for the Washington Examiner. She previously covered Congress and campaigns for Breitbart News. Originally from Fredericksburg, Virginia, she graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in classics and philosophy before spending six years in Massachusetts working in the real estate industry.
Sen. Bob Menendez pleaded not guilty in federal court on Monday to conspiring to act as a foreign agent on behalf of the Egyptian government, the second time in as many months Menendez has had to enter a plea in response to corruption-related charges.
Menendez's appearance in court came as a result of U.S. District Attorney Damian Williams bringing a second indictment against the senator this month over allegations he violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act while he was serving as the head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.Menendez and his wife Nadine were initially hit with three charges in September for allegedly engaging in a corrupt relationship with three businessmen, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, and Fred Daibes.
The couple allegedly accepted bribes that included hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, gold bars, a luxury vehicle, and more, according to the indictment. All five already pleaded not guilty to the initial charges. Bob and Nadine Menendez and Hana were all charged with conspiracy for a public official to act as a foreign agent in the updated indictment. Nadine Menendez and Hana pleaded not guilty to that charge last week.
Menendez said in a statement when he was charged with the FARA violation that he has been"loyal to only one country — the United States of America.""Piling new charge upon new charge does not make the allegation true. ... It is an attempt to wear someone down and I will not succumb to this tactic," Menendez said.
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