Extra: In Menendez Trial Defense Says Only Inference Hana Cites Egypt Rules on Halal

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by Matthew Russell Lee

SDNY COURTHOUSE, July 10 – Amid reports of investigation against Sen. Robert Menendez for taking gold bars, Inner City Press' sources on September 21 it to expect on Friday, September 22 an appearance in Federal court in Manhattan by Menendez and his wife Nadine Arslanian. This scoop was true.

Later a superseder was unveiled, including charges of bribes to act for Qatar...

On April 11, 2024 after Nadine Menendez and then the government asked for delay, to July or undefined, Judge Stein severed her case and reaffirmed May 6, Inner City Press thread

On Sunday night April 14 the US wrote in again asking for a delay to July, six page letter on Patreon here.

But Judge Stein told the parties to confer and report by April 16 at 1 pm. Then he set an April 17 conference, which Inner City Press live tweeted and dubbed "Berate-gate," thread

On May 13, jury selection began - but did not finish. Abit later, Menendez got into an car with FOP NJ plates.

On May 14 jury selection continued but was not yet completed, from the ending, thread

Late on May 14, the US Attorney's Office filed opposition to slides the defense wants to use in its opening arguments, including quotes from Colin Powell and MLK, and when Nadine came into possession of gold - full letter on Patreon here

Inner City Press live tweeted jury selection and then opening arguments here, then filmed Bob's exit (he said he thought it went well and that his guy did great).

On May 21, the US Attorney's Office put on Wael Hana's lawyer, then a US State Department official working on Congressional approval (or holds) on arms transfer to Egypt, thread here.

On May 23, with the trial in haitus, docketed was Menendez' lawyers opposition to quashing his subpoena for Jose Uribe's attorney proffer and communications with SDNY prosecutors, filing on Patreon here

On May 29, Inner City Press live tweeted, omitting Morton's steakhouse but including this

On May 30, Menendez's lawyer's (long) cross, including this.

On May 31, starting 1 pm, the agent was cross examined, and then USDA Ted McKinney on direct, thread

  After the trial day, Inner City Press filed Menendez' walk to his Jersey-plated car; asked why he called McKinney he said, Wait for the cross [examination].

Nadine Menendez hired a new lawyer, who previously represented Sydney Powell among others. Then this: "ORDER as to Nadine Menendez: At the request of the defendant and with the consent of the government [Doc. No. 434], the status conference is adjourned from June 10 to June 12 at 5 :00 p.m.(Signed by Judge Sidney H. Stein on 6/3/2024)."

On June 4 Judge Stein dockted a partially redacted Order in which he denied Menendez's request that the prosecutors give him impeachment material about a Confidential Human Source they are not going to call as a witness - but Menendez said he will.

On June 5, Inner City Press live tweeted - and afterward asked Menendez a question. Thread.

On June 6, after more cross of Agent Graves, Gurbir Grewal testified, thread

On June 7, after an FBI fingerprint expert, cooperator Jose Uribe, Inner City Press live tweeted, thread

On June 10, Uribe finished his direct examination around 4 pm, then counsel for Hana, not yet Menendez, began cross examination, thread.

On June 11, Uribe was cross examined - though not on the "strip club issue" after which out on Worth Street Menendez decried Uribe's crimes. Thread

On June 12, after the end of Uribe (including drunk driving and the "little bell"), US Attorney of NJ Sellinger took the stand, thread.

On June 13, trial day - and next day - was canceled by Daibes calling in with COVID: thread.

And then, book: GOLD BAR BAR Menendez Trial I, on Amazon here.

On June 18, after Daibes' COVID, things resumed with Sellinger, followed by Matt Soliman.

On June 20, alongside an FBI agent summary witness, a prosecution office witness out of order, thread.

On June 24, Menendez's staffer Sarah Arkin took the stand, from the thread

On June 25, Sarah Arkin finished up, including about upcoming job at State Department. Then, a currency (and money laundering) expert from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. From the thread

On June 26, there testimony about currency, and then a jocular Armenian jeweler, from the thread

On June 27, the Senate Ethics Committee director, then a cell site expert, from the thread

On June 28, the last US witness, on Menendez's M&T account, and gold in Nadine's Chase Bank safety deposit box, thread

On July 1 the defense case began, his and Nadine's sisters amid a flurry of motions, thread

On July 2, at 5 instead of 4 pm, rapid rulings on exhibits to set up Menendez's defense resting on Friday, thread

On July 3, Team Menendez rested (then outside court Menendez said the US had not proved its case so he didn't testify), thread

On July 8, after a Hana witness and charge conference, half of the prosecutors' closing, thread

On July 9, the rest of the prosecution's summation, then Menendez's lawyer Adam Fee, not yet finishing (and Menendez silent on his way to his car), from the thread

On July 10, more of Menendez's closing, then all of Hana's, and the first part of Daibes - then on the sidewalk, Menendez himself spoke of the government's "lies" - thread:

Jury entering! Judge: Mr. Fee, you may proceed and conclude your summation. Menendez's lawyer Adam Fee: This case dies here today. This case is hollow. Jose Uribe is on the trash heap of witness. He lied a lot in his life. 

Menendez's lawyer Fee: The prosecutors love that little bell story. We'll get back to that. But at the restaurant, even according to Uribe, there was not a work with Bob about bribes, only "I saved your ass" - not even about what.  Menendez's lawyer Fee: I think Jose [Uribe] knows Bob is innocent. But he needs the government to need him. It has to be one-on-one. What does the evidence actually show about the story of Jose Uribe? He runs an insurance business in violation of the law... 

Menendez's lawyer Fee: Uribe testified about the fundraiser, but his story shifted... He had no agreement with Bob. He told Bob about the Elvis Parra case, 100 jobs on the line, Latinos. Bob represents them. 

Menendez's lawyer Fee: Doug Anton was being hired to kill the investigations. Doug Anton emailed Hana for documents. Do you know who provides the documents? GX 1303. Jose Uribe. And Nadine was still involved with Anton, abusive relationship 

Menendez's lawyer Fee: Bob broke up with Nadine because she was still with Doug Anton, this horrible ex-boyfriend. They claim the reason they got Find My iPhone is a distraction. They didn't mention Nadine's hospitalization, restraining order. We brought it out 

Menendez's lawyer Fee: Uribe was going out to dinner and getting drunk. Take that into account when considering his memory of events. Jose Uribe invited himself over, have already been drinking. Bob has this drunk, maybe high, guy he barely knows: that's it  Judge: Let's take a break.

They're back (well, not the jury) Judge Stein: I will tell the jurors that there is no evidence in the record that hospitalization and abuse is relevant to the charges. How much longer Mr. Fee? Menendez's lawyer Fee: Lunchtime. Judge: Bring the jury in.  Menendez's lawyer Fee: Look at this meeting, photo taken by staffer Sarah Arkin

Menendez's lawyer Fee: These are common-place events being distorted. As to the halal job, Bob helped Nadine get on Legal Zoom. How was he supposed to know if these were bribe payments? Why would you write a consultant's agreement and pay by check? 

Menendez's lawyer Fee: The US sale of weapons to Egypt went on before Bob and will continue after Bob. It's like when Ukraine's Zelensky came to DC -

AUSA: Objection! Judge: I'll allow it.

Fee: Countries ask us for weapons 

Menendez's lawyer Fee: Of course the USDA wants trade, and more US halal certifiers. Bob wanted to protect a constituent. You want politicians who have friends, not like Fox News anchors... Nothing unlawful about helping a friend  Menendez's lawyer Fee: On Qatar, they don't have anyone testifying that Qatar tells Bob, "You have to do it" [praise Qatar]. There's the statement about Qatar actions in Yemen, then Afghanistan, then Bob's trip to Qatar. But Qatar got praise from the UN WFP 

Menendez's lawyer Fee: Afghanistan? The US left and there was chaos, sure Bob praised Qatar. Others did too.... From Daibes, there is cash and gold, but they cannot connect that, they don't have that connective tissue...  Menendez's lawyer Fee: This case dies here. Bob should be acquitted due to the lack of evidence. Bob skipping Sellinger's investiture? It proves nothing. Vikas Khanna, brother of a Congressman who knows Bob, was on the case, but Sellinger is still in the office 

Menendez's lawyer Fee: I believe- Judge: Don't put yourself up. It's about the evidence, not what you believe. Fee: What he said. Let's be real, they haven't proved what the gold and cash were for. The obstruction count is about Bob's prior lawyers 

Menendez's lawyer Fee: You must acquit Bob. They don't have any evidence of any bribe. Just inferences. Do your duty as jurors. Sellinger? It was evidence of Bob's innocence. Uribe had no idea if Bob did anything wrong. Grewal? Bob had no authority over him 

Menendez's lawyer Fee: Bob had no idea Nadine was getting help with her mortgage and car payments. Nadine wanted to get back to a comfortable life - she portrayed her life as rosy, that's the thing with Instagram 

Menendez's lawyer Fee: This is not shifting blame onto anyone... Bob is not a man who cares about Mercedes. He cares about diversity. This case is painfully thin. We have disproven these allegations. No one witnessed anything. You've the only thing that matters

 Menendez's lawyer Fee: This is a salacious story about a corrupt politician - but it's not there. Hold them to their proof, do your patriotic duty. When you acquit Senator Menendez, the US wins. We leave the state to you. Thank you.  Judge: OK, we'll break.

 Now Wael Hana's lawyer Larry Lustberg: Egypt chose ISEG Halal - it was Egypt's choice. Having a single certifier can be a good thing. The prosecutors call it a monopoly, and says monopolies are always bad. But it results in uniform decisions 

Hana's lawyer Lustberg: There was no bribe. Nadine saying Halal went through, great 2019 all around is just her being happy for Will, and that she might get a job with him. Will paying her mortgage, it was a loan - a balloon payment. Zero interest 

Hana's lawyer Lustberg: The supposed forgiveness of the loan happened two years after Senator Menendez's call to the USDA... The so-called ghost written letter it was not inconsistent with US policy. GX C301. Maybe it was unusual. But it was a year before monopoly

  Hana's lawyer Lustberg (still going) The US described Will's business as "a monopoly dropped into the nap of an unqualified person by a single decision of the Egyptian business." This is not fair - it disrespects the Egyptian government. 

Daibes' lawyer de Castro: Summing up last... It's not how long you talk. [He will continue tomorrow - as will we

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