Senator Bob Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, attended a classified briefing on Ukraine despite being indicted on federal charges for corruption stemming from accusations that he conspired to act as an agent for the Egyptian government.
Reporters stopped Menendez outside the chambers. One commented that he didn’t attend the last classified briefing because Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer “didn’t let” him. “Why,” the reporter asked, “are you going to this classified briefing?”
Menendez pointed a finger and responded, “First of all, you're wrong about that. He didn't say you can't go and he didn't not let me. So that's just a wrong assumption.” He said he attended the briefing because he wanted the updates on Ukraine for consideration of the supplemental aid package proposed by the Biden administration.
When asked whether it was appropriate that he would attend a classified briefing while “being accused of aiding a foreign government,” Menendez told the reporter, “I know you've got to make news. Bottom line is, I'm a United States senator, I have my security credentials, and an accusation is just that. It's not proof of anything.”
