New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez will face trial later this year on bribery and corruption charges after the Supreme Court refused Monday to toss his case.
The top court rejected Menendez’s petition to end the case without providing comment to explain its reasoning.
“It’s disappointing that the Supreme Court did not take this opportunity to set a clear, bright line of the separation of powers to ensure that Congress remains an independent and co-equal branch of government, free of interference and retribution from the executive as the Framers intended,” said Abbe Lowell, a lawyer for the Democratic senator.
“While the senator always understood it is rare that the Supreme Court hears any case before trial, given the gravity of the Constitutional issues raised, he believed it was important to try,” the lawyer added.
Menendez faces charges that he accepted bribes worth almost a million dollars and that he used his office to help his friend, Florida doctor Salomon Melgen.
Lowell said the senator maintains his innocence.
“As the senator has been saying for more than four years since the government began chasing these wild allegations, he has always acted in accordance with the law. Sen. Menendez remains confident that he will be vindicated when all the facts are heard at trial,” he said.