New obstruction of justice crimes were added Tuesday to charges against Sen. Bob Menendez and his wife that allege they accepted gold bars, cash, and a luxury car in return for favors the senator carried out to assist three businessmen. The charges were in a rewritten indictment returned against the Democrat in Manhattan federal court. Conspiracy to obstruct justice and obstruction of justice charges were added against Menendez and his wife, Nadine, the AP reports.
- In a statement, the senator called the additions "a flagrant abuse of power" and claimed prosecutors were "trying to get me to give in simply by making wild allegations again and again, without actually proving anything."