In Sen
Menendez Trial
USDA McKinney
Cites
Nefarious
Pressure But
Bob Says Wait
for Cross
by
Matthew Russell Lee
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
May 31 – Amid reports of
investigation against Sen.
Robert Menendez for taking
gold bars, Inner City Press'
sources on September 21 it to
expect on Friday, September 22
an appearance in Federal court
in Manhattan by Menendez and
his wife Nadine Arslanian. This
scoop
was true.
Later a
superseder was unveiled,
including charges of bribes to
act for Qatar...
On April 11, 2024
after Nadine Menendez and then
the government asked for
delay, to July or undefined,
Judge Stein severed her case
and reaffirmed May 6, Inner
City Press thread
On Sunday night
April 14 the US wrote in again
asking for a delay to July,
six page letter on Patreon here.
But Judge Stein
told the parties to confer and
report by April 16 at 1 pm.
Then he set an April 17
conference, which Inner City
Press live tweeted and dubbed
"Berate-gate," thread
On May 13, jury
selection began - but did not
finish. Abit later, Menendez
got into an car with FOP NJ
plates.
On May 14 jury
selection continued but was
not yet completed, from the
ending, thread
Late on May 14,
the US Attorney's Office filed
opposition to slides the
defense wants to use in its
opening arguments, including
quotes from Colin Powell and
MLK, and when Nadine came into
possession of gold - full
letter on Patreon here
Inner City Press
live tweeted jury selection
and then opening arguments here,
then filmed Bob's exit (he
said he thought it went well
and that his guy did great).
On May 21, the US
Attorney's Office put on Wael
Hana's lawyer, then a US State
Department official working on
Congressional approval (or
holds) on arms transfer to
Egypt, thread here.
On May 23, with
the trial in haitus, docketed
was Menendez' lawyers
opposition to quashing his
subpoena for Jose Uribe's
attorney proffer and
communications with SDNY
prosecutors, filing on Patreon
here
On May 29, Inner
City Press live tweeted,
omitting Morton's steakhouse
but including this
On May 30,
Menendez's lawyer's (long)
cross, including this.
On May 31,
starting 1 pm, the agent was
cross examined, and then USDA
Ted McKinney on direct, thread:
All rise! Judge:
Mr. Lustberg [counsel to Wael
Hana] you may proceed.
Lustberg: You see
this receipt, payment for the
exercise machine? Witness:
Yes, a Palpal receipt.
Lustberg: Do you
see this message in which
Nadine Menendez calls Mr. Hana
a brother? Agent: I see it.
Lustberg: She wanted him to
pay off her mortgage, correct?
Agent: I recall that
generally. Lustberg: Here she
is asking for a wire AUSA:
Objection! Sustained
Lustberg:
This message from Jose Uribe
to Nadine Menendez, is it
about making the mortgage up
to day AUSA: Objection!
Judge: Ask again Lustberg: Is
this relevant to that? Agent:
I need to see the whole
conversation. Lustberg: Here
she write, Will is an as*shole
Lustberg:
The lawyer asks Nadine, did
you review the note I sent
you, correct? Agent: That's
what it says. Lustberg: It
also says - Judge: The jury
will have this. There is no
reason to ask it like this.
Lustberg: I want to know if he
sees it. Agent: I do.
Lustberg:
Please enlarge this check,
beneath the amount back -
$23,500 - what does it say?
Agent: Loan auth. W. Hana to
N.A. Lustberg: You didn't
testify about this on direct,
did you? Agent: I don't
remember.
Lustberg:
Look at these lines, that say
"I know there will be a lot of
hard work for all of us but
hopefully it will come to
fruition... Once I know your
role I will get your contract
prepared." Do you know- AUSA:
Objection! Judge: Sustained.
Judge: Wrap it
up, sir. Lustberg: Just a
couple more things... I just
need a few more moments. I'm
going more slowly. You were
asked questions if there was
more money than the
$30,000 Judge:
Sustained! Lustberg: Do you
see where Nadine asks Mr.
Daibes $36K? Yes
Lustberg: One
last on this subject. Line 956
on page 70, please... A
voicemail from Nadine to Mr.
Daibes, it says, "do me the
favor of talking to Will, he
wants me in the office 8 hours
a day, uh, thank you Fred."
Agent: I don't remember it
specifically
Lustberg:
Line 462 to 465, page 37 - the
WhatsApp from Mr. Hana to
Akmed Ahbed al Kareem Agent: I
don't recall specifics.
Lustberg: Ahmed Assam - who
was he? Agent: At this moment
I don't recall. Judge: Asked
and answered. Next. Lustberg:
Hana and Shawky? Helmi?
Lustberg: Mr.
Hana was involved in setting
up meeting for Egyptian
personnel in Washington?
Agent: I'd need to see.
Lustberg: Are these
photographs of people in
restaurants? Agent:
Yes. Judge: Wrap it up.
Nothing further. Counsel for
Daibes: Just a few questions
Daibes' lawyer:
The photos in the restaurants,
Mr. Daibes is not in them, is
he? Agent: Not that I see.
Daibes' lawyer: You're new to
the FBI Public Corruption
unit, right? Agent: Yes. I was
on the health care squad.
Daibes' lawyer: And they
picked you for this
Nothing further.
AUSA: The
government calls Ted
McKinney... McKinney: I
am the CEO for NASDA, National
Assoc of State Dep'ts of
Agriculture. Previously
at the Indiana Dep't of
Agriculture to 2017. Then
USDA, in foreign trade until
2021, Trump appointee
AUSA: Your job
was to promote US exports -
what % of US agricultural
exports were to Egypt?
McKinney: Small but important
- we had 60% of the market
share of beef livers. Often
those offals like liver and
tongue are the key profit
center for the rancher
McKinney: I
went to the annual Dubai food
show. I'd go to the office of
the GCC. In late April 2019 we
learned that Egypt had
delisted a number of halal
certifiers in the US, and was
making a monopoly for IS EG.
AUSA: How did you learn it?
McKinney: An email.
McKinney: We
swung into action. We called
the Egyptian ambassador in DC.
When they moved to monopoly,
on only one week's notice,
prices went up. Judge:
Tell me about your history?
McKinney: My family raised
pork in Indiana. Judge: You
were tuned in at age 17?
Yes
McKinney: My
chief of staff told me Senator
Menendez would be calling me
on my cell phone. He did. He
referenced a news article, he
said Quit interfering with my
constituent. I wanted to
explain why - I was
interrupted and the call ended
shortly thereafter Inner City
Press @innercitypress · 3h
AUSA: What was Senator
Menendez' tone and demeanor?
McKinney: Serious
to very serious. He was
insisting, Stop! Stop
interfering! AUSA: Did any
other member of Congress
interrupt you like that?
McKinney: No,
never.
Judge
Stein: We'll break here.
After the
trial day, Inner City Press
filed Menendez' walk to his
Jersey-plated car; asked why
he called McKinney he said,
Wait for the cross
[examination.
More on X for
Subscribers here
and Substack here
The case is US v.
Menendez, et al., 23-cr-490
(Stein)
More
on Substack here
***
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