Shortly after being handed a substantial prison term, former Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) labeled the actions taken against him as a “political witch hunt,” while commending President Donald Trump for being “right” in criticizing the Justice Department for its perceived political bias.
On Wednesday, Judge Sidney H. Stein imposed an 11-year prison sentence on the experienced Democratic lawmaker, who faced convictions on corruption allegations.
Despite the sentence, Stein permitted Menendez to leave the Manhattan courthouse with orders to report to the Bureau of Prisons in June—delayed until after his wife’s protracted trial related to similar corruption allegations.
“I maintain my innocence and am eager to pursue appeals concerning numerous issues,” Menendez stated to reporters outside the courthouse. “Let me emphasize this: This entire process has been a political witch hunt.”
Menendez criticized federal prosecutors for utilizing illegitimate evidence and claims from an FBI agent whom he alleges was “caught lying during testimony,” without providing further details. He also accused former U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, who managed the prosecution, of attempting to harvest “political scalps” ahead of seeking office.
Williams, appointed by Biden in 2021, resigned as US Attorney for the Southern District of New York in December, shortly before Trump’s inauguration.
In closing his statements, which were later shared on social media, Menendez directly addressed Trump. “President Trump was correct,” said the disgraced ex-senator. “This process is political, and it’s fundamentally corrupted. I hope President Trump works to clean up this mess and restores integrity to the system.”
Menendez previously served as the mayor of Union City, New Jersey, alongside a three-term tenure as senator for the Garden State. He led the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations until his federal indictment in 2023. In spite of the serious accusations, including receiving bribes in the form of gold bars and a Mercedes-Benz convertible, Menendez ignored pressure from within his own party to resign until his conviction in 2024.
Menendez isn’t the only Democratic figure shifting their stance following federal charges. New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who made history as the first sitting mayor to endure a federal indictment while in office, has repeatedly labeled the allegations against him as “completely false, grounded in lies.”
Earlier this month, Adams has met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago and attended Trump’s inauguration last week.
