Sen. Robert Menendez is the subject of a new federal investigation, according to two people familiar with the probe, Semafor reported Wednesday.
People connected to the New Jersey Democrat have been contacted in recent weeks by prosecutors in the Southern District of New York, with a source adding that at least one subpoena has been sent in the case.
Seven years ago Menendez and Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen were indicted for an alleged arrangement under which Melgen provided flights on a private jet and expensive vacations in exchange for Menendez's help with government contracts, as well as other favors.
The case ended in a mistrial in 2017 after the jury failed to reach a verdict, with Menendez's lawyers contending that the two men were merely good friends.
The broad outlines of the new probe are similar to the 2017 case, according to the two sources, although both said that different people are involved in the new inquiry.
Menendez spokesman Francisco Pelayo declined to comment on the report, as did a spokesman for the Southern District of New York.
In recent years, public corruption cases have been difficult to prove. This has particularly been true ever since a decision six years ago in which the Supreme Court overturned the conviction of former Virginia GOP Gov. Bob McDonnell and ruled that prosecutors must provide explicit evidence that gifts or donations were connected to official actions.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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