The MSNBC anchor Alicia Menendez said her colleagues at the network would “aggressively” cover the corruption scandal involving her father, the indicted New Jersey senator, Bob Menendez – “as they should”.
Alicia Menendez hosts a weekend show on the liberal-leaning network.
Speaking to the camera on Saturday night, she said: “I’m Alicia Menendez. Welcome to American Voices. We have a lot to get to tonight but I want to begin on a personal note.
“Last week a grand jury indicted US Senator Bob Menendez. This past week, dozens of members of his own party have demanded his resignation.
“I have been watching along with all of you as a citizen, and also as his daughter. I will not be reporting on the legal case.
“That said, my colleagues across MSNBC and NBC News have aggressively covered this story and will continue to do so, as they should.”
Bob Menendez, 69, is accused with his wife of hoarding gifts, including cash, gold bars and a car, in connection with his influential position as chair of the Senate foreign relations committee and policy relating to Egypt. Three businessmen were also charged.
Pleading not guilty, Menendez has stepped aside as foreign relations chair but refused to resign or say he will step down at the next election, despite opposition from many in his party, his fellow New Jersey senator, Cory Booker, among them.
“The details of the allegations against Senator Menendez are of such a nature that the faith and trust of New Jerseyans as well as those he must work with in order to be effective have been shaken to the core,” Booker said. “I believe stepping down is best for those Senator Menendez has spent his life serving.”
Speaking to reporters this week, Menendez said he had kept around $500,000 in cash at his home because it was his own, and because his Cuban parents instilled the habit.
“For 30 years,” he said, “I have withdrawn thousands of dollars in cash from my personal savings accounts, which I have kept for emergencies and because of the history of my family facing confiscation in Cuba.
“Now this may seem old-fashioned, but these were monies drawn from my personal savings accounts based on the income that I have lawfully derived.”
He did not address the gold bars or the car, saying: “I look forward to addressing other issues in trial.”
Menendez has beaten a corruption investigation before, after a jury deadlocked in 2017, regarding links to a Florida eye doctor.
On Monday, Menendez said: “I recognise this will be the biggest fight yet, but … I firmly believe that when all the facts are presented, not only will I be exonerated, but I still will be New Jersey’s senior senator.
“The court of public opinion is no substitute for our revered justice system. Those who rushed to judgment, you have done so based on a limited set of facts framed by the prosecution to be as salacious as possible. Remember, prosecutors get it wrong.”
