WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — A US federal judge ruled on Tuesday that Senator Robert Menendez’s corruption trial will continue in the state of New Jersey, rejecting the request to move the trial to Washington, DC, local media reported.
“US District Court Judge William Walls rejected arguments from Menendez's legal team that most of the key witnesses in the case are in the Washington area,” Politico reported on Tuesday.
Judge Walls also rejected the argument that holding a trial in New Jersey “would be too disruptive to his [Menendez’s] legislative duties as well as those of his staffers likely to be called as witnesses in the case.”
In April 2015, Menendez and his friend and donor Salomon Melgen were indicted by a New Jersey Court on one count of conspiracy, eight counts of bribery, one count of violating the US Travel Act and three counts of honest services fraud.
Judge Walls announced his decision to turn down the request after hearing arguments from legal teams and prosecutors.
They argued that “Menendez was trying to escape being tried by a jury of his peers in New Jersey,” Politico said.
Menendez is accused of accepting nearly $1 million in gifts and campaign contributions from Melgen to influence Medicare billing disputes in his favor. Melgen is an ophthalmologist with long-established practice in New Jersey.
Menendez is also alleged to have used his power to advocate for Melgen at the highest US government instances in a contractual dispute over ports in the Dominican Republic, where Melgen had a business stake.
Moreover, Menendez is accused of illegally influencing visa applications for three of Melgen’s girlfriends and one relative in eth Dominican Republic.
Menendez never reported the gifts and contributions on mandatory financial disclosure forms, according to the indictment.
The trial in the Menendez corruption case is set for October 13, 2015.
