<p>United States Senator Bob Menendez pleaded not guilty in a New York court, on Monday (Oct 23) to a new charge alleging that the Democratic lawmaker conspired to act as an agent of the Egyptian government while serving as a member of Congress.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This comes after the senator from New Jersey who is said to be one of the most influential Democrats in the country rejected calls for his resignation but did step down from his chairmanship of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee.</p>

<h2><strong>What was the new charge about?</strong></h2>

<p>The 69-year-old senator said “not guilty” when asked to plead his case before Judge Sidney Stein at federal court in lower Manhattan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This comes after federal prosecutors accused Menendez of conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government – Egypt – to which he again pleaded not guilty, said a spokesman for the US attorney’s office in Manhattan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The new charge comes as Menendez, along with his wife and three other people, was indicted on charges of taking bribes and influence peddling to benefit Egypt, to which they had already pleaded not guilty last month.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-egypts-agent-in-us-congress-all-we-know-about-senator-bob-menendezs-new-indictment-charges-646104">Explained: Egypt's agent in US Congress? All we know about Senator Bob Menendez's new indictment charges</a></strong></p>

<p>Prosecutors have alleged that the senator and his wife, Nadine Menendez, accepted bribes of cash, gold bars and a luxury car from three businessmen in exchange for a range of corrupt acts between 2018 and 2022.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The federal prosecutors have also said that Menendez used “his influence and power to breach his official duty in ways that benefited the Government of Egypt”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to US laws, members of Congress cannot work on behalf of another country’s government.</p>

<h2><strong>Menendez calls new charge ‘absurd’</strong></h2>

<p>Speaking about the new charge against him, the US senator in a statement said that it “flies in the face of my long record of standing up for human rights and democracy in Egypt...Anyone who knows my record, knows this latest charge is as outrageous as it is absurd.”</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bob-menendez-temporarily-steps-down-as-us-senate-foreign-relations-chairman-over-bribery-charges-638872">Bob Menendez resigns as US Senate foreign relations head over charges of accepting bribes in gold bars, cash</a></strong></p>

<p>So far, Menendez has resisted calls from more than 30 national Democrats to resign amid accusations that he passed information to the Egyptians about the staff at the US embassy in Cairo, ghostwriting a letter on Egypt’s behalf to influence fellow senators, among others.&nbsp;</p>

<p>If convicted, the 69-year-old senator could face up to five years in prison. Menendez was released on Monday on a $100,000 bond. His criminal trial is not expected to begin for another six months.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
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United States Senator Bob Menendez pleaded not guilty in a New York court, on Monday (Oct 23) to a new charge alleging that the Democratic lawmaker conspired to act as an agent of the Egyptian government while serving as a member of Congress.

United States Senator Bob Menendez pleaded not guilty in a New York court, on Monday (Oct 23) to a new charge alleging that the Democratic lawmaker conspired to act as an agent of the Egyptian government while serving as a member of Congress. This comes after the senator from New Jersey who is said to be one of the most influential Democrats in the country rejected calls for his resignation but did step down from his chairmanship of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee. What was the new charge about? The 69-year-old senator said “not guilty” when asked to plead his case before Judge Sidney Stein at federal court in lower Manhattan. This comes after federal prosecutors accused Menendez of conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government – Egypt – to which he again pleaded not guilty, said a spokesman for the US attorney’s office in Manhattan. The new charge comes as Menendez, along with his wife and three other people, was indicted on charges of taking bribes and influence peddling to benefit Egypt, to which they had already pleaded not guilty last month. ALSO READ | Explained: Egypt's agent in US Congress? All we know about Senator Bob Menendez's new indictment charges Prosecutors have alleged that the senator and his wife, Nadine Menendez, accepted bribes of cash, gold bars and a luxury car from three businessmen in exchange for a range of corrupt acts between 2018 and 2022. The federal prosecutors have also said that Menendez used “his influence and power to breach his official duty in ways that benefited the Government of Egypt”. According to US laws, members of Congress cannot work on behalf of another country’s government. Menendez calls new charge ‘absurd’ Speaking about the new charge against him, the US senator in a statement said that it “flies in the face of my long record of standing up for human rights and democracy in Egypt...Anyone who knows my record, knows this latest charge is as outrageous as it is absurd.” ALSO READ | Bob Menendez resigns as US Senate foreign relations head over charges of accepting bribes in gold bars, cash So far, Menendez has resisted calls from more than 30 national Democrats to resign amid accusations that he passed information to the Egyptians about the staff at the US embassy in Cairo, ghostwriting a letter on Egypt’s behalf to influence fellow senators, among others. If convicted, the 69-year-old senator could face up to five years in prison. Menendez was released on Monday on a $100,000 bond. His criminal trial is not expected to begin for another six months. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US Senator Bob Menendez pleads not guilty to new charge of acting as an agent of Egypt

<p>The US Senate has passed the Iran war powers resolution. The&nbsp;bill seeks to prevent <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../US-President-Trump-to-visit-India-on-February -24-25-White-House">Donald Trump</a> from waging war with Iran.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-us-senators-visit-ukraine-right-after-impeachment-280416">US Senators plan on visiting Ukraine after Trump impeachment trial</a></p>

<p>During the session, 55 Senators supported the bill, while 45 opposed it. The Democrats are hailing it&nbsp;as a bipartisan victory.</p>

<p>Trump's Republican party holds a 53-seat majority in the Senate, however, during&nbsp;Thursday's vote eight&nbsp;Republicans joined the Democratic cause.</p>

<p>The result was a far cry from the partisan vote that acquitted Trump of his impeachment charges last week. Trump had warned Senators against passing the bill.</p>

<p>The US president had&nbsp;said the United States was doing well with Iran and that this was not a time to show "weakness".&nbsp;</p>

<p>The resolution requires Trump to remove troops deployed against Iran unless Congress declares war. It also defends American aggression in case of an imminent threat.</p>

<p>The bill will now go to the House of Representatives and then on to the President's desk wherein all likelihood it will be vetoed by President Trump.</p>

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<p>It's unlikely that two-thirds of the Senate will join hands and force the president's hand but&nbsp;the very fact that a Republican Senate passed a resolution rebuking Trump sends a strong political message to the President.</p>

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<p>Even as America moved to curb its President's powers there were some major developments in Iran.&nbsp;Iran's revolutionary guard commander Hossein Salami issued a major threat.&nbsp;He vowed to strike both the US and Israel if there was even a small error from either of the two countries even as&nbsp;a&nbsp;US warship found a cache of suspected Iranian weapons in the Arabian Sea.</p>

<p>The USS Normandy seized 150 anti-tank missiles and&nbsp;three&nbsp;Iranian surface-to-air missiles and other weapons components believed to be manufactured in Iran.</p>


The US Senate has passed the Iran war powers resolution. The bill seeks to prevent Donald Trump from waging war with Iran. Also read: US Senators plan on visiting Ukraine after Trump impeachment trial During the session, 55 Senators supported the bill, while 45 opposed it.

The US Senate has passed the Iran war powers resolution. The bill seeks to prevent Donald Trump from waging war with Iran. Also read: US Senators plan on visiting Ukraine after Trump impeachment trial During the session, 55 Senators supported the bill, while 45 opposed it. The Democrats are hailing it as a bipartisan victory. Trump's Republican party holds a 53-seat majority in the Senate, however, during Thursday's vote eight Republicans joined the Democratic cause. The result was a far cry from the partisan vote that acquitted Trump of his impeachment charges last week. Trump had warned Senators against passing the bill. The US president had said the United States was doing well with Iran and that this was not a time to show "weakness". The resolution requires Trump to remove troops deployed against Iran unless Congress declares war. It also defends American aggression in case of an imminent threat. The bill will now go to the House of Representatives and then on to the President's desk wherein all likelihood it will be vetoed by President Trump. × It's unlikely that two-thirds of the Senate will join hands and force the president's hand but the very fact that a Republican Senate passed a resolution rebuking Trump sends a strong political message to the President. × Even as America moved to curb its President's powers there were some major developments in Iran. Iran's revolutionary guard commander Hossein Salami issued a major threat. He vowed to strike both the US and Israel if there was even a small error from either of the two countries even as a US warship found a cache of suspected Iranian weapons in the Arabian Sea. The USS Normandy seized 150 anti-tank missiles and three Iranian surface-to-air missiles and other weapons components believed to be manufactured in Iran.

US Senate curbs Trump's ability to wage war with Iran

<p>Seven US Senate Democrats asked the Trump administration on Friday to disclose details of possible Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department antitrust investigations into Amazon.com Inc, Facebook Inc, Alphabet Inc and Apple Inc.</p>

<p>Reuters and other news outlets reported this month the agencies were gearing up to investigate whether the companies misuse their market power.</p>

<p>The senators led by Senator Amy Klobuchar, a presidential candidate, said in the letters to FTC Chairman Joe Simons and Justice Department antitrust chief Makan Delrahim that "given the silence of the FTC and the Justice Department, the truth is that we still do not know if these investigations have actually been initiated and neither do the American people."</p>

<p>The FTC declined to comment on the letter, while the Justice Department did not immediately comment on Friday.</p>

<p>The letters were also signed by Patrick Leahy, Richard Blumenthal, Tammy Baldwin, Edward Markey, Tina Smith and Cory Booker - another presidential candidate - who said they were encouraged by the media reports of investigations "but also somewhat troubled that such inquiries were not already well underway."</p>

<p>The senators noted that both agencies typically refrain from commenting on investigations that are not public "but these circumstances are far from typical. The significant public interest in and allegations surrounding the business conduct of Big Tech and the leaks concerning the clearance process relating to potential investigations of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google have made these matters highly unusual."</p>

<p>Reuters reported this month that the Justice Department and FTC met in recent weeks and agreed to give the Justice Department the jurisdiction to undertake potential antitrust probes of Apple and Google, while the FTC was given jurisdiction to look at Amazon and Facebook.</p>


Seven US Senate Democrats asked the Trump administration on Friday to disclose details of possible Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department antitrust investigations into Amazon.

Seven US Senate Democrats asked the Trump administration on Friday to disclose details of possible Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department antitrust investigations into Amazon.com Inc, Facebook Inc, Alphabet Inc and Apple Inc. Reuters and other news outlets reported this month the agencies were gearing up to investigate whether the companies misuse their market power. The senators led by Senator Amy Klobuchar, a presidential candidate, said in the letters to FTC Chairman Joe Simons and Justice Department antitrust chief Makan Delrahim that "given the silence of the FTC and the Justice Department, the truth is that we still do not know if these investigations have actually been initiated and neither do the American people." The FTC declined to comment on the letter, while the Justice Department did not immediately comment on Friday. The letters were also signed by Patrick Leahy, Richard Blumenthal, Tammy Baldwin, Edward Markey, Tina Smith and Cory Booker - another presidential candidate - who said they were encouraged by the media reports of investigations "but also somewhat troubled that such inquiries were not already well underway." The senators noted that both agencies typically refrain from commenting on investigations that are not public "but these circumstances are far from typical. The significant public interest in and allegations surrounding the business conduct of Big Tech and the leaks concerning the clearance process relating to potential investigations of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google have made these matters highly unusual." Reuters reported this month that the Justice Department and FTC met in recent weeks and agreed to give the Justice Department the jurisdiction to undertake potential antitrust probes of Apple and Google, while the FTC was given jurisdiction to look at Amazon and Facebook.

US Senate Democrats ask for details on antitrust probes into Big Tech

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US Senator Bob Menendez pleads not guilty to new charge of acting as an agent of Egypt

US Senate curbs Trump's ability to wage war with Iran

US Senate Democrats ask for details on antitrust probes into Big Tech