Senator Bob Menendez pleads not guilty to foreign agent charge

Senator Robert Menendez has pleaded not guilty to charges alleging he acted as an agent of Egypt while serving as a member of Congress.

The Senator is accused of providing "sensitive US government information" to help Egypt's government.

Prosecutors allege he and his wife Nadine accepted bribes that included stacks of gold bars and a luxury car.

Mr Menendez, who had pleaded not guilty to the bribery charges earlier, has vowed not to resign.

In the original indictment last month, federal prosecutors said Mr Menendez and his wife took bribes from three New Jersey businessmen, in exchange for using his position to push for increased US aid and military sales to Egypt.

Prosecutors added another charge in October, alleging Mr Menendez used "his influence and power to breach his official duty in ways that benefited the Government of Egypt".

During his time on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee - which he has now stepped down from - Mr Menendez allegedly encouraged fellow senators to lift a hold on $300m (£246m) in aid to Egypt and provided sensitive US government information to help it, according to prosecutors.

The indictment alleges the conspiracy occurred between January 2018 and June 2022.

Under US law, members of congress cannot work on behalf of another country's government.

Casting himself as a target of political opponents, Mr Menendez has said he will be exonerated of all accusations.

While his criminal trial is not expected to begin for another six months, the New Jersey Senator is already facing repercussions.

After stepping down as foreign relations chairman, he was barred from an intelligence briefing for the entire senate on the Israel-Hamas war, and is being pushed to resign by more than 30 Senate Democrats.

The Senator's wife, Nadine Menendez, and one of his business associates Wael Hana, were also charged with conspiring to act as agents of a foreign government. They already pleaded not guilty to the charge, as well as other charges in the case.