Menendez defense focuses on ‘doing his job’ as senator

An attorney for Sen. Bob Menendez used opening statements Wednesday to portray the senator as using the power of his position to represent the interests of his constituents and the United States — not taking corrupt actions.

Menendez, D-N.J., is on trial in New York for 16 criminal counts that include bribery, extortion and acting as a foreign agent. Prosecutors already had told the jury that he and his wife, Nadine, used his influence and were motivated by greed.

“This was not politics as usual. This was politics for profit,” prosecutor Lara Pomerantz said during opening statements. “Robert Menendez was a United States senator on the take, motivated by greed, focused on how much money he could put in his own pocket and in his wife’s pocket.”