|
 Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat and former chairman of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee, was indicted in April for bribery,
accused of accepting up to $1 million worth of lavish gifts from
Salomon Melgen, a Florida ophthalmologist, in exchange for political
favors.
The two men, who are close friends, pleaded not guilty in April to
the charges. Menendez was released without bail and Melgen was
released on $1.5 million bond.
In pretrial motions both men sought to have the case against them
dismissed and alleged misconduct in the investigation by U.S.
prosecutors.
This was given short shrift by U.S. prosecutors in their own 65-page
filing.
"The defendants' motions are replete with so many factual
inaccuracies and material misrepresentations that it is difficult to
dismiss them as simply inadvertent," lawyers for the U.S. government
wrote.
"Perhaps most troubling, the defendants accuse the government of
concealing evidence from the grand jury, while themselves concealing
from the court evidence material to their allegations."
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Menendez attorney Abbe David Lowell, and Kirk Ogrosky, who
represents Melgen, issued a joint statement saying they would file a
response to the prosecutors on Sept. 14.
"We stand behind the motions and remain confident that both
defendants will be vindicated," they said.
(Reporting by Lindsay Dunsmuir; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
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