President Donald Trump has not dismissed the possibility of pardoning or commuting the sentence of former Sen. Bob Menendez, yet allies suggest that clemency is unlikely before Menendez’s prison report date next month. Following Menendez’s conviction on bribery and corruption charges, his allies have repeatedly approached the White House for assistance. Despite some belief that Trump may not grant clemency, a White House official stated no decision has been made.
Earlier this year, Menendez sought help from Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican and Trump ally with whom he shares a longstanding relationship; however, Graham opted not to intervene. Additionally, Menendez has attempted to leverage his ties with influential Jewish leaders, emphasizing his advocacy for Israel during his Senate tenure. He also reached out to Jared Kushner’s family for assistance but was turned down.
Menendez’s previous attempts for clemency from President Joe Biden were unsuccessful. Though he pled not guilty to the charges, he was convicted in July and resigned from the Senate in August. His wife, Nadine, faced similar convictions in a separate trial. Menendez maintains he was politically targeted by the Justice Department, a stance he reiterated in recent statements. He cited the timing of his indictment in relation to the Obama administration’s Iran deal as indicative of political motivations against him.
Despite calling for Trump’s clemency and framing his situation as a matter of political bias, Menendez and Trump do not share a close relationship, particularly given Menendez’s votes in favor of convicting Trump during impeachment trials, which may hinder his chances for a pardon.
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