In
Menendez Trial
SFRC Staffer
Arkin
Testifies On
Way to State
Then FRBNY on
Seized Cash
by
Matthew Russell Lee
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
June 25 – 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
On June 25, Sarah
Arkin finished up, including
about upcoming job at State
Department. Then, a currency
(and money laundering) expert
from the Federal Reserve Bank
of New York. From the thread:
OK - now in US v.
Menendez staffer Sarah Arkin
still on cross about Egypt
& Qatar, bribes and praise
on Yemen.
Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: Isn't it true that
since the Camp David Accords,
the US views military aid to
Egypt as in its interest?
Arkin: That's what the State
Department argues. Congress
does continue to authorize
those funds. Weitzman: Egypt
fights terror? AUSA:
Objection. Weitzman: Doesn't
the current administration
seek to counter the influence
of Iran? AUSA: The current
administration is not relevant
to this case. Arkin: The Trump
administration sought to forge
ties to counter Iran.
Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: Sometimes you had
disagreements with Senator
Menendez on how vocal to be in
criticizing Egypt on human
rights? Arkin: What do you
mean? Weitzman: You drafted a
stronger letter, right? Arkin:
And the Senator didn't want to
issue it
Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: And he's the elected
official, right? Arkin: Yes.
Weitzman: Sisi is a military
dictator, right? AUSA:
Objection. Her personal view
is not relevant. Judge:
Sustained. Weitzman: He is
well informed? Arkin: Yes.
Judge: He's your boss,
yes? Arkin: Not right
now. Judge: You're with the
SFRC and he's the chair.
Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: He's no longer the
chair. And you're about to
move, right? Arkin: To an
agency. Weitzman: To State.
We'll get to that later.
Menendez's lawyer Weitzman:
Did the Muslim Brotherhood
kill Coptics? AUSA: Objection!
403! Judge: Sustained.
Weitzman: Did Sisi outlaw the
Muslim Brotherhood? Arkin:
Effectively, yes. Weitzman: So
do other Gulf States? Does
Saudi Arabia? Judge:
Sustained.
Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: Senator Menendez
attended dinners and social
events in NYC near the UN,
right? Arkin: Yes. Weitzman:
Some were on his schedule or
calendar, and some were not,
correct? Arkin: It seems.
Weitzman: But you'd like to
know? Arkin: Yes
Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: The Senator took
calls from foreign leaders on
his cell phone? Arkin: I don't
know. Weitzman: President
Trump had his cell phone taken
away, but Senator Menendez
didn't, right? Judge: Does he
receive calls from foreign
leaders? IDK
Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: You wouldn't know of
every call he made with a
Lithuanian parliamentarian?
Arkin: Maybe Weitzman: Do all
staff members expect readouts?
Arkin: Yes. Weitzman: Have you
spoken with every staff
member? AUSA: Objection!
Judge: I'll allow it
Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: Here's an email
about another meeting by
Senator Menendez with Egypt -
it's to Brett O'Brien, are you
aware he is a lobbyist for
Egypt? Arkin: No.
[efile.fara.gov/docs/5666-Shor…
Menendez's lawyer Weitzman:
Did Nadine also attend a
meeting with Armenia's foreign
minister? Arkin: Yes.
Weitzman: Did Tasos, a friend
of Senator Menendez, attend
meeting with Cypriot leaders?
Arkin: I was never in those
meetings so I don't
know.
Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: Are you aware the
Richard Gere attended a
meeting with Senator Mitt
Romney and Tibet leaders?
Arkin: No. Weitzman: And that
Endy Zemenides of Chicago
attended meeting with Greece?
Arkin: Yes Weitzman: And on
Armenian genocide- IDK
Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: Nadine was the 1st
CO-DEL spouse you had to deal
with? Arkin: Yes Weitzman: Was
working with Nadine
challenging? Arkin: Yes
Weitzman: She had interests to
travel in Egypt and shop,
right? Arkin: She did. She
wanted to go to Lebanon
too Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: You got the email
about Mr. Helmy's meeting with
the Senator about the GERD
dispute, right? Arkin: I did.
Weitzman: Do you remember
President Trump said he was
worried Egypt might blow up
the dam? Judge:
Sustained.
Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: President Trump put
Treasury Secretary Mnuchin in
charge of negotiating GERD?
Arkin: Yes. Weitzman: And
Mnuchin was before that a
movie producer? Judge: I'll
allow it. Arkin: Yes.
[After a long break to
negotiate a stipulation]
Menendez's lawyer Adam Fee:
The parties agree to this
entry on the list of Arab
Republic of Egypt diplomats
provided to the US Department
of State. Judge: Mr. Weitzman,
continue and conclude your
cross examination.
Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: Did they advise you
not to answer questions Yes or
No? Judge: Sustained.
Weitzman: Have you gone on any
CO-DELs? Arkin: Only one, to
Munich. Weitzman: Are there
many CO-DELs to Egypt? Arkin:
Recently yes, after the Oct 7
attack in Egypt
Menendez's lawyer Weitzman:
You know that Senator Menendez
has met with the Mossad?
Arkin: Yes. Weitzman: What is
the Mossad? AUSA: Objection!
Judge: Sustained.
Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: You are aware that
Tasos conveyed a message that
the President of Cyprus
offered Senator Menendez a car
during his CO-DEL there?
Arkin: He was on vacation
there. We converted it into a
CO-DEL so that the US embassy
could provide the
car Menendez's
lawyer Weitzman: You recently
went to Senator Menendez'
office and told you were
taking the job at State - that
is a promotion? Arkin: I'm
excited about the job.
Weitzman: Before,
you worked for Rep. Debbie
Wasserman Schultz? Arkin:
Yes. Arkin: I worked for
Senator Menendez for seven
years, and other than the
allegation that I said he
would not meet with Sisi, he
was a fine mentor. Now, my job
at SFRC was tenuous so I was
glad the State Department job
came up Menendez's lawyer
Weitzman: Check this
[It,
Exhibit G 3A-8, says "the two
Qatari officials will be
accompanied by Sasha
Boljanovic, former [Serbian]
Ambassador Vladimir Petrovic"
Petrovic is described as a
Dem-aligned lobbyist; a Sasha
Boljanovic is depicted in UN
world (and next Gold Bar Bob
book]
Menendez's
lawyer Weitzman: Are you aware
Rep. Meeks praised Qatar, in
replying to WFP's David
Beasley? Was he Senator or
Governor of South Carolina?
Arkin: Something like
that Nothing further.
Judge: We'll break.
Re-direct.
AUSA Richenthal: Did you also
meet with counsel for Senator
Menendez? Arkin: I did. AUSA:
In the letter to Senator
Cardin is he referred to, as
Menendez is, as a sincere
friend of Egypt? Arkin: He is
not. Next witness is a
bank note expert from the
Federal Reserve Bank of New
York, named Catania
AUSA: How many of
the bills we asked you about
were you able to track?
Catania: Over 4800. AUSA: What
are the latest that these bill
were paid out?
Catalia: December
2019 Now cross
examination - Judge says he's
like it finished today, to get
this witness on and off
Menendez's lawyer Weitzman:
The serial numbers have series
years, right? FRBNY witness:
Yes. Weitzman: Let's filter
Series 2009 and 2009-a....
[Does]
Judge: That's it
for today [Jury leaves] AUSA:
We won't be able to end our
evidence tomorrow. Thursday or
Friday. Judge: We'll go Friday
to 2 pm. AUSA: We'll have a
jeweler, NJ prosecutor, and
Senate Ethics... Judge:
We're done
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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