Another round of federal grand jury subpoenas went out this week in connection with the corruption investigation into Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey.
Two sources familiar with the matter said at least one powerful New Jersey politician — North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco — was among those who received a subpoena.
A North Bergen spokesman said, “As they always have, Mayor Sacco and the Township of North Bergen will comply with any inquiry they receive from law enforcement and will cooperate fully.”
For months, Menendez has been under criminal investigation as to whether he and his wife improperly took cash and gifts from the owners of IS EG Halal, an Edgewater, New Jersey, halal meat business.
The senator and the company’s owners have denied any wrongdoing.
“I know of an investigation. Don’t know the scope or the subjects and of course stand ready to help authorities when and if they ask any questions,” Menendez said in October.
A Menendez spokesman declined comment for this story.
The newly issued subpoenas — including the one delivered to Mayor Sacco — are unrelated to any allegations involving the meat company and the senator, the two sources said.
The sources added that the subpoenas in part seek information about certain legislative changes in New Jersey, but they did not offer details.
The subpoena issued to Sacco, a Democrat, came on Wednesday, one day after he was re-elected mayor.
Sacco’s spokesman said, “We do not feel that it would be appropriate to offer any additional comment at this time.”
An FBI spokesman and a spokesman for U.S. Attorney Damian Williams of the Southern District of New York, whose office is leading the federal investigation, declined to comment.
As for Menendez and IS EG Halal, questions persist as to how the company won an exclusive worldwide contract with Egypt to certify Halal exports — as numerous other firms suddenly had their contracts canceled in 2019.
Numerous other sources familiar with matter said some officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture among those who raised concerns about how the contract was awarded to a New Jersey firm with little prior experience.
A spokesperson at the USDA did not return calls for comment.
Additionally, numerous sources said the senator’s wife is friends with the IS EG owners. Menendez chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which oversees billions in U.S. aid to Egypt.
Lawyers for IS EG have denied any wrongdoing and the owners have said they won the contract with Egypt on their merits. Other firms in the industry, however, have been raising questions.
“This was an unfortunate decision as all of us certifiers lost our authorizations to provide Halal certification for Egypt. This had a severe impact on the industry,” the USA Halal Chamber of Commerce said in a statement.
Last month, Menendez said he was opening a legal defense fund to help pay defense lawyers in connection with the criminal investigation.
In 2015, Menendez was indicted on federal corruption charges of illegally accepting favors from a Florida eye doctor, including flights on a private jet, three nights at a five-star hotel in Paris and more than $700,000 in political contributions for Menendez and the Democratic Party.
The case ended in a mistrial after jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict. Federal prosecutors decided not to retry him.
Menendez, who has served in the Senate since 2006, is up for re-election next year.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
