In
Menendez Trial
Staffer Arkin
Testifies on
Going Quiet on
Egypt Heaping
Praise on
Qatar
by
Matthew Russell Lee
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
June 24 – 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
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].
Nadine Menendez
hired a new lawyer, who
previously represented Sydney
Powell among others. Then
this: "ORDER as to Nadine
Menendez: At the request of
the defendant and with the
consent of the government
[Doc. No. 434], the status
conference is adjourned from
June 10 to June 12 at 5 :00
p.m.(Signed by Judge Sidney H.
Stein on 6/3/2024)."
On June 4 Judge
Stein dockted a partially
redacted Order in which he
denied Menendez's request that
the prosecutors give him
impeachment material about a
Confidential Human Source they
are not going to call as a
witness - but Menendez said he
will.
On June 5, Inner
City Press live tweeted - and
afterward asked Menendez a
question. Thread.
On June 6, after
more cross of Agent Graves,
Gurbir Grewal testified, thread
On June 7, after
an FBI fingerprint expert,
cooperator Jose Uribe, Inner
City Press live tweeted, thread
On June 10, Uribe
finished his direct
examination around 4 pm, then
counsel for Hana, not yet
Menendez, began cross
examination, thread.
On June 11, Uribe
was cross examined - though
not on the "strip club issue"
after which out on Worth
Street Menendez decried
Uribe's crimes. Thread
On June 12, after
the end of Uribe (including
drunk driving and the "little
bell"), US Attorney of NJ
Sellinger took the stand, thread.
On June 13, trial
day - and next day - was
canceled by Daibes calling in
with COVID: thread.
And then, book:
GOLD BAR BAR Menendez Trial I,
on Amazon here.
On June 18, after
Daibes' COVID, things resumed
with Sellinger, followed by
Matt Soliman.
On June 20,
alongside an FBI agent summary
witness, a prosecution office
witness out of order, thread.
On June 24,
Menendez's staffer Sarah Arkin
took the stand, from the thread:
OK - now US v.
Menendez before jury in,
defense says not only Bob but
Blinken praised Qatar
(evidence will come in).
Judge (to the defense)
Gamesmanship is over. The
defense is to provide the
topics its witness will
testify to. Bring in the
witness. Defense: Can the
Court hear me though this
Hannibal Lecter cage? Judge:
Yes. Bring in the jury.
Jury entering!
Judge: Continue and conclude
cross examination of Agent Van
Wie. Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: Do you recall this,
from Cory Booker, "I hope to
be your wingman again" with
regard to Qatar, about a
dinner? Van Wie: Yes and no, I
infer Judge:
Sustained
Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: Are you aware that
this Qatar dinner was also
attended by Senator Coons, and
Rep. Meeks? FBI Agent Van Wie:
I am not aware. Weitzman:
Senator Menendez replies to
Cory Booker about a meeting
for the Dominican Republic
with Blackstone?
Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: This photo of a gold
bar, the metadata does not
show if it was sent to Robert
Menendez, does it? FBI Agent
Van Wie: I don't see that.
Weitzman: Do you know why
Nadine took a picture of this
gold? Van Wie: I don't.
Menendez's lawyer Weitzman: In
relation to these real estate
searches, are you aware that
people use Zillow as escapist
fantasy? [Laughter]
Judge: Sustained
and stricken, the record
should reflect that the jury
laughed. I don't know what
escapist fantasy is.
Menenez's lawyer Weitzman:
Qatar's support to Yemen,
didn't others also praise
Qatar? Judge: Sustained.
Weitzman: In the
chart, Rep Meeks writes in
reply to WFP Chief Beasley, I
thank Qatar for its
contribution to UN WFP - you
see that? FBI Agent Van Wie:
Yes. Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: Are you aware this
was praise of the UN World
Food Program? FBI Agent Van
Wie: I am not aware of that
program.
Weitzman: And
beyond Senator Menendez's
praise of Qatar, other
Senators met with Qatar? FBI
Agent Van Wie: I don't
know.
Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: Do you agree that
glazed donuts would be a dumb
codeword for gold bars? Judge:
Sustained.... Weitzman: Are
you aware Senator Menendez
also searched for the price of
Brent Crude Oil? Agent Van
Wie: No
Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: Didn't Senator
Menendez's Google account
search for the price of
vintage gold coins? Agent Van
Wie: So it seems. Weitzman:
Nothing further
Judge: OK, we'll
break. [With jury out - about
Speech or Debate Clause]
AUSA Richenthal:
Under Brewster, it is a crime
- an offer of an item of value
to an elected officials for
this action. We can't elicit
that the official actually
took action Judge: Wait, wait
-- Judge: Press releases
are fair game, vis a vis
Speech or Debate. Menendez's
lawyer: On Egypt, he discussed
an entire approach, what to do
with arms. We need voir dire
AUSA Richenthal: This is
disruptive. I spoke with Mr.
Weitzman yesterday. This is a
waste Judge: The defense
has been sandbagging the
Government. This should have
been worked out far in advance
of this moment. There will be
no testimony on arms. We'll
break
All rise!
Judge: The jury is ready. Put
the witness on the stand.
AUSA Richenthal:
One thing - she will use the
word arms. Judge: In what
context? AUSA: When I ask her
about Egyptian officials, what
did they want? Judge: That's
fine. Jury entering!
AUSA Richenthal: Can Senate
Resolutions concern the US'
relations with a foreign
nation? Staffer-1: Yes. AUSA:
When you met with Egypt, what
did they want? Staffer-1:
Military financing without
conditions. AUSA
Richenthal: What was this?
Staffer-1, Sarah Arkin: I
emailed Dana Stroul a copy of
Senator Menendez's handwritten
invitation to the Egyptian
military attache. AUSA: Why
did you send it?
Arkin: Because I
found the invitation strange.
I attended the meeting
AUSA Richethal: What did the
Egyptian official request?
Arkin: Military aid without
conditions. AUSA: Who else was
there? Arkin: A number of
people, but the only one
identified to me was Nadine,
the Senator's girlfriend.
AUSA: Had you ever met Nadine
before? No AUSA
Richenthal: What happened
next?
Arkin: I proposed
a letter before President
Sisi's visit. Senator Menendez
said, I want to take a quieter
role. I have a lot of Coptics
in NJ who like Sisi. AUSA:
What are Copts? Arkin: A small
sect, 10% AUSA
Richenthal: Did you become
aware of meetings Senator
Menendez had with Egypt that
you weren't at and didn't get
read-outs of? Arkin:
Yes. AUSA Richenthal:
What did Qatari official say
their goals were? Judge: Is
there any objection?
Menendez's
lawyer: I have no objection to
her saying with Qatar
*asked*... AUSA: I'll sask,
who is the Emir of Qatar?
Arkin: Effectively the head of
state AUSA Richenthal:
Before this press release
praising Qatar for help in
evacuation from Afghanistan
was there a draft thanking
other countries as well?
Arkin: Yes. Most of the staff
were trying to get information
on all countries who helped.
RM said, One just Qatar
AUSA: Might be a
good time to break now. Judge:
OK
Cross
examination. Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: Ms. Arkin, as you
aware of the role of the SFRC,
as reflected by this document?
Arkin: Yes.
Weitzman: Fair to
say a Senator chooses whether
to take a dig at a Secretary
of State? Arkin: If
you're getting multiple
Senators to sign on to a
letter, there's a process of
negotiation. Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: Your draft said Sisi
should keep his pledge to
leave office - but that would
be a big deal for a Senator to
ask for, right? A: Yes.
Arkin: This
called for him to keep his
pledge. It's pretty standard
fare. Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: He said he had a lot
of Coptic Christian
constituents in Egypt [?] who
liked Sisi- AUSA: 401 Arkin:
The previous government had
been Muslim Brotherhood, so
yes
Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: Are you aware
Senator Menendez met with
Bishop David in NJ? Arkin: I
know he met Coptic leaders.
Judge: We're done for the day.
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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