WASHINGTON – If federal prosecutors lodge corruption charges against Sen. Robert Menendez, it will mark the latest in a string of high-profile political cases from the U.S. Justice Department, including last year’s conviction of former Virginia governor Bob McDonnell.
The Menendez case, which centers on the New Jersey Democrat’s relationship with a wealthy donor, comes as the agency has stepped up its scrutiny both of politicians’ official actions and the activities of their aides in a new era of unlimited political spending.