‘No political future’ for Menendez: Former New Jersey lawmaker

(NewsNation) — New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez is headed to trial on bribery and corruption charges, a turn of events that could mark the end of the Democrat’s political career, one former lawmaker says.

Menendez is accused of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars and gold bars in exchange for increasing United States aid to Egypt, steering funds to New Jersey businessmen and helping one friend maintain a de facto monopoly on halal meat. It’s his second trial in seven years.

Former New Jersey state legislator John Wisniewski joined “NewsNation Now” to discuss the trial, saying Menendez “has no political future.”

“Even if he beats these charges, he’s not going to be a U.S. senator,” Wisniewski said. “Even if he beats these charges, he’s certainly going to be tarnished for the remainder of his life as someone who’s had three brushes with federal investigators, and it’s certainly not a very positive outlook for him.”

Menendez is in the middle of his third term in the Senate. He will not run as a Democrat for a fourth term in November. Depending on the outcome of the trial, Menendez said he would consider running as an independent.

‘He’s not running as a Democrat because the Democrats have made it very clear that they want nothing to do with him,” Wisniewski said.

The case could also tarnish the reputation of his son, U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez, Wisniewski said.

“As this goes on, the name ‘Menendez’ is becoming more and more tarnished, and the son, who probably has absolutely nothing to do with any of this, is being tarnished by association,” he said.