A federal judge on Monday dismissed four of the 22 corruption charges against U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez and a wealthy friend, keeping intact most of the case against the New Jersey Democrat and his alleged co-conspirator.
In his ruling, Judge William Walls of the U.S. District Court of New Jersey determined that prosecutors failed to meet the legal standard necessary to show that donations to the senator’s legal-defense fund were given in exchange for official acts from the senator.
But Judge Walls issued a number of decisions Monday that maintained most of the Justice Department’s case against Mr. Menendez and his friend, Salomon Melgen, a Florida eye doctor.