Senator Menendez has been charged with obstruction of justice and conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice, according to a superseding indictment filed by prosecutors on Tuesday. The senator, who was allegedly involved in a bribery scheme and acted as an agent of the Egyptian government, now faces 18 criminal charges.

Prosecutors at the Southern District of New York say that Mr. Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez, attempted to pay money back to Egyptian officials after they became aware that they were under investigation by law enforcement. The Menendezes were allegedly paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, gold bars, and a Mercedes Benz sports car in exchange for the senator helping Egypt obtain more beneficial arms deals, among other things. 

In 2022, Mrs. Menendez wrote two checks to two Egyptian officials who have both been indicted as part of the bribery scheme. One defendant, Wael Hana, received more than $23,000, while the other, Jose Uribe — who has pleaded guilty and will testify at the trial — received $21,000. Both Mr. Menendez and his wife then allegedly lied to their attorneys, according to the superseding indictment, causing the lawyers to make false statements to the government. 

Mr. Menendez and his wife have denied all wrongdoing. The senator has called his actions just part of the “normal work of a congressional office.”

Mr. Menendez has faced calls to resign from his Senate seat, including from several of his Democratic colleagues. Senator Schumer has said that the New Jersey senator’s actions “fall way below” the standard for the conduct of a senator but has not called on him to resign.

Mr. Menendez is up for re-election this year and has not announced his intentions, but already has two major Democratic opponents in the primary. 

Congressman Andy Kim announced his Senate candidacy just days after the first indictment was handed down last year, saying that New Jersey deserves a “decent human” willing to serve the voters. The first lady of the state, Tammy Murphy, has also launched a Senate campaign but is trailing Mr. Kim in the polls and has been consistently losing county Democratic conventions to the congressman.