Share this @internewscast.com

The New York federal judge scheduled to preside over the bribery trial of U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez rejected on Thursday a defense request to delay the start of jury selection from May to July.

Judge Sidney H. Stein’s order leaves in place a May 5 trial date in Manhattan for the New Jersey Democrat, who faces trial along with his wife and three New Jersey businessmen.

All have pleaded not guilty to charges alleging they engaged in a bribery conspiracy that enriched the senator and his wife with cash, gold bars and a luxury car. Menendez, his wife and one of the businessmen also have pleaded not guilty to a charge that they conspired to illegally use the senator as an agent of the Egyptian government.

Lawyers for Menendez claimed earlier this month that they need extra time to prepare for trial, in part because they’ve been given over 6.7 million documents that they must sift through and because the complexity of the case requires resolving questions of law that may take extra time to decide.

Prosecutors opposed the request on the grounds that they had warned defense lawyers when the trial date was set in the fall that the evidence they would turn over would be voluminous and that nothing has changed since then.

In his order, Stein agreed with prosecutors, saying that the evidence turned over by prosecutors to defense lawyers was consistent with the amount of material the government had projected would be involved in the trial.

After his September arrest, the senator gave up his position as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He has resisted calls for him to resign from his Senate seat.

Menendez’s lawyers declined in an email to comment on Stein’s order Thursday.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
First American elected pontiff, get to know Pope Leo XIV

Meet Pope Leo XIV: The First American Elected as Pontiff

Pope Leo XIV, 69, was elected to take up the papal seat…
Dem Congress members storm New Jersey ICE prison to conduct 'oversight visit': 'People deserve dignity'

Democratic Congress Members Visit New Jersey ICE Facility for “Oversight Tour”: “Everyone Deserves Dignity”

Three Congressional members made their way through the gates of a U.S.…
Screenshot of President Biden appearing on The View.

Joe Biden Faces Criticism After Commenting on Kamala Harris and Making a Controversial Christianity Joke on The View

JOE Biden has been blasted for making a joke about Christianity as…
College Football player Ben Christman died of irregular heartbeat at UNLV off campus apartment

UNLV Student and College Football Player Ben Christman Passes Away from Heart Arrhythmia in Off-Campus Apartment

Ben Christman, an offensive lineman in college football who transferred from Kentucky…
Aerial view of airplanes parked at gates in an airport terminal.

“Air Traffic Staff Unveil Weekly Communication Failures with Pilots Before Newark Outage in Behind-the-Scenes ‘Nightmare'”

VITAL radio contact with pilots is failing nearly every week – putting…
Pope Leo XIV appearing on a balcony.

Pope Leo XIV Criticized for Allegedly Ignoring Sexual Abuse Claims Involving Priests in Chicago and Peru

POPE Leo XIV has been accused of “looking the other way” over…
Pope Leo XIV: How his views compare to those of Pope Francis

Comparing the Perspectives of Pope Leo XIV and Pope Francis

Cardinal Robert Prevost was selected to be Pope Francis’ successor on Thursday,…
Military band playing in Red Square during a Victory Day parade.

Putin Leads Large Victory Day Parade Amid Growing Concerns of Ukrainian Attack Despite Ceasefire

PUTIN presided over an extensive military parade attended by numerous world leaders…
Mayor Baraka of Newark, New Jersey, arrested at ICE detention center he has been protesting

Newark Mayor Baraka Arrested During Protest at ICE Detention Center

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — On Friday, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was taken…
State trooper points to possible weapon in John O'Keefe death – and it's not Karen Read's car

State Trooper Suggests New Possible Weapon in John O’Keefe’s Death – Ruling Out Karen Read’s Vehicle

A Massachusetts State Police sergeant, crucial to the inquiry leading to Karen…
Huge: It Doesn't Go Well For Dems Who Tried to Invade Prison Housing Illegal Alien Gang Members

Major Setback: Dems Face Trouble in Attempt to Enter Prison Holding Undocumented Gang Members

Just when it seemed like the Democrats’ unusual defense of illegal immigrant…
Cop killer dies after ‘botched’ firing squad execution; witness in the room reveals how it happened

Failed Firing Squad Execution: Convicted Cop Killer Dies—Eyewitness Shares Details

An inmate executed by firing squad in South Carolina last month remained…