The wife of embattled Sen. Bob Menendez requested a delay in her upcoming trial on corruption charges, citing health concerns.
Attorneys for Nadine Menendez revealed in a court filing Tuesday that she was “diagnosed with a serious medical condition that will require a surgical procedure in the next four to six weeks.”
The lawyers did not disclose what specific medical condition the senator’s wife suffers from but stressed that she won’t be able to help her counsel prep for trial over the next month.
The trial had been slated to begin on May 6.
“Ms. Menendez requests that the court set a status hearing eight weeks from this date for Ms. Menendez to provide the court with an update on her medical condition and treatment plan and on a feasible timetable for rescheduling her trial date,” her lawyers wrote.
Nadine Menendez is a co-defendant in the sprawling bribery case, alongside her husband. She stands accused of receiving benefits in exchange for favors given to wealthy pals by the senator.
Both are facing 18 criminal counts and have pleaded not guilty.
The Garden State Democrat announced last month that he wouldn’t pursue reelection this cycle as a Democrat, but left the door open to defending his seat as an Independent.
That leaves Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ) as the frontrunner for the Democratic Party nod.
Should the senator seek reelection as an Independent, he will have until June 4 and only need 800 signatures.
Delaying the trial start date could hamper his potential pursuit of a fourth full term in office. He previously stated “I am hopeful that my exoneration will take place this summer” when dangling the possibility of a third-party bid.
He successfully evaded a conviction on a separate slate of bribery charges in 2017 due to a hung jury and successfully held onto his Senate seat the following year.
The New Jerseyan had been one of the top Democratic voices on foreign policy. After his latest indictment was unsealed last September, he was forced to step down as chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
However, Bob Menendez (D-NJ) has attended several classified briefings since the indictment.
The senator stands accused, alongside his wife, of accepting bribes that included more than $150,000 in gold bars, $566,000 in cash payments, a Mercedes-Benz convertible, and other lavish gifts — to assist businessmen Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, and Fred Daibes, all of whom are also charged in the case.
Prosecutors allege that Uribe bribed Menendez to entice the senator to “pressure” the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office to resolve a criminal prosecution of one of his associates.
They also allege that he was acting as a foreign agent on behalf of the Egyptian government.
A chorus of Democrats, including a deluge of Garden State officials, and Sen. John Fetterman (D-Penn.) have publicly implored the senator to resign.
Thus far, Sen. Menendez has refused to do so.