Prosecutors say Menendez put the energy up for sale during closing argument

Federal prosecutors told jurors Monday that Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) sold out his office and voters to the highest bidder during closing arguments in a wide-ranging bribery and corruption trial.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Monteleoni said the senator’s three-term power “was never enough,” referring to when Menendez proposed to his wife, Nadine, in front of the Taj Mahal in India. The senator did so while singing the song “Never Enough” from the film The greatest showman.

“The fact that he was one of the most powerful people in Washington was not enough,” Monteleoni said.

Menendez is accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, a convertible, furniture and 13 gold bars in exchange for helping to funnel goods to Egypt, facilitating a halal meat monopoly and obstructing criminal investigations on behalf of his friends and family.

Menendez has been on trial for eight weeks.

The co-defendants include Fred Daibes, a New Jersey developer accused of giving gold bars and cash to Menendez and his wife, Nadine; and Wael Hana, a New Jersey resident who owns a halal meat certification company.

Monteleoni began his arguments, which are likely to last until Tuesday, using a PowerPoint-style presentation to try to connect the dots to what he said was a “clear pattern of corruption,” New York Times reported.

Prosecutors have listed the charges, noting which of the three defendants are responsible for the 18 counts contained in the 66-page indictment.

Most of the blame was placed on Menendez.

In fact, “Menendez was responsible,” Monteleoni said. “His wife, Nadine, was his go-between.”

Nadine Menendez was scheduled to be tried alongside her husband, but her trial was delayed as she recovered from breast cancer.

Menendez’s daughter, MSNBC anchor Alicia Menendez, was in the courtroom.

Monteleoni also attacked a key pillar of Menendez’s defense Tuesday afternoon: blaming his wife. Menendez’s attorneys have portrayed the senator as a lovesick man, too blinded by his femme fatale to know better. Menendez’s attorneys have argued that she was the mastermind, pulling the strings in a years-long scheme.

Monteleoni rejected that version of events, saying there was evidence to suggest Menendez had direct knowledge of the money flowing in and the reasons behind it.

“You don’t get to be chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee if you don’t know anything about something,” he said.

Despite thousands of pieces of evidence filed in the docket, and dozens of witnesses who testified, no one admitted to seeing Menendez take money or gifts as bribes. Instead, many testified that Nadine Menendez brokered all the deals. Prosecutors countered that Menendez would have to be blind and deaf not to know.

Monteleoni also summarized Menendez’s peculiar actions on behalf of Egypt, moves he often made without informing his staff. In return, he received gold bars, cash payments and “cold work” for his wife.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE IN THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Prosecutors told the judge their closing arguments could last up to five hours. Closing arguments from lawyers for Menendez, Daibes and Hana will follow. Prosecutors will have a chance to rebuttal before the case goes to a jury.

If Menendez is found guilty of all charges, he could face up to 20 years in prison.