Fox News reports that U.S. Senator Robert (“Bob”) Menendez (D-NJ) was found guilty of corruption on all 16 counts, following a grueling, nine-week jury trial in Manhattan.
Menendez pleaded not guilty to federal charges that he accepted an array of bribes in exchange for helping foreign governments. Sentencing is scheduled for October 29, 2024. The conviction exposes Menendez to a sentence of 200(+) years of incarceration.
The Fox News article may be read in full HERE.
SUMMARY
According to Wikipedia:
- Senator Menendez was indicted on federal corruption charges in 2015. The jury was unable to reach a verdict and the charges were dropped in 2018;
- Menendez was admonished in 2018 by the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics for improperly accepting gifts from a donor;
- Menendez was again federally indicted in September 2023 for aiding and providing sensitive information to the government of Egypt, after which he stepped down as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee;
- In an October 2023 indictment, Menendez was charged with conspiracy to act as a foreign agent of the Egyptian government;
- In January 2024, in a superseding indictment, Menendez was also charged with working for the government of Qatar; and
- Menendez was again indicted for obstruction of justice March 2024, after which he declined to run for reelection to the U.S. Senate as a Democrat and is (as of the time of this article’s writing) running as an independent candidate.
Senator Menendez’ website (assuming it is not subsequently taken down) may be viewed HERE.
My brothers and sisters, there is really no other way to view this situation than with a degree of disgust. How does a federal politician in the Upper House (U.S. Senate) be tainted with criminality and corruption for year after year and never be excommunicated?
As FGGAM Co-Founder and Pastor Dewey Moede has stated many times, politics can easily become the ‘playground of the devil’ if integrity and oversight is not in play. This situation goes way beyond embarrassment. It represents knowing and willful corruption on the senator’s part, and it does not speak well of the U.S. Congress – with many politicians apparently deciding that the political edge Menendez brought to party politics was more important than truth and integrity.
What seems most sad, is that Menendez (to date) had been completely UNREPENTANT!
The bible makes it clear that the Lord is a shield to those who walk in integrity (i.e., truth, honesty), guards the path of the just, and protects the faithful:
Proverbs 2:6-8 (NLT)
“For the Lord grants wisdom! From [H]is mouth come knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to [H]im.”
The bible makes it clear that self-serving pride brings dishonor and shame. The Lord desires for us to walk in integrity and moral courage, without falling into the sin of ‘loving’ money:
Proverbs 11:1-3 (Amplified Bible)
Contrast the Upright and the Wicked
“A false balance and dishonest business practices are extremely offensive to the Lord, [b]ut an accurate scale is His delight. When pride comes [boiling up with an arrogant attitude of self-importance], then come dishonor and shame, [b]ut with the humble [the teachable who have been chiseled by trial and who have learned to walk humbly with God] there is wisdom and soundness of mind. The integrity and moral courage of the upright will guide them, [b]ut the crookedness of the treacherous will destroy them.”
1 Timothy 6:10 (ESV)
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”
The bible also makes it clear that the Lord will judge the unrepentant:
Matthew 7:2 (Amplified Bible)
“For just as you [hypocritically] judge others [when you are sinful and unrepentant], so will you be judged; and in accordance with your standard of measure [used to pass out judgment], judgment will be measured to you.”