WASHINGTON ― The Justice Department will not retry Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) on corruption-related charges, federal prosecutors indicated Wednesday in a court filing.
Menendez’s trial last year resulted in a hung jury, and a federal judge acquitted the New Jersey Democrat and his friend Salomon Melgen on several charges last week.
“Given the impact of the Court’s Jan. 24 Order on the charges and the evidence admissible in a retrial, the United States has determined that it will not retry the defendants on the remaining charges,” a Justice Department spokeswoman said in a statement.
In a statement sent to HuffPost, Menendez attorney Abbe Lowell said he was “pleased and grateful that the Justice Department made the right decision to end this case.”
“Despite the five years of this ordeal, Senator Menendez never wavered in his innocence and his commitment to the people of New Jersey,” Lowell said. “We were fortunate to be able to assist this honorable man.”
This article has been updated with comment from Lowell.
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