Written by Patricia Zengerle
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Accusations that Senator Bob Menendez accepted bribes in alternate for exerting his affect to assist the Egyptian authorities prompted calls within the U.S. Congress on Tuesday for the Biden administration to rethink $235 million in army support to Cairo.
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, who chairs the Center East Subcommittee of the Senate International Relations Committee, mentioned he hopes the committee will examine these allegations and Egypt’s involvement.
US prosecutors introduced an indictment on Friday accusing Menendez of accepting gold bullion and lots of of hundreds of {dollars} in money in alternate for exercising his affect to assist the Egyptian authorities.
Murphy advised reporters: “I hope that our committee will think about using no matter means it has to cease these {dollars}, pending an investigation into what Egypt is doing.”
He mentioned, “I’ve not spoken to my colleagues about this matter but, however it’s clear that this raises critical questions on Egypt and Egypt’s habits.”
The indictment in opposition to Menendez additionally says he had shut ties with members of Egyptian intelligence providers and held conferences to debate US army support.
Menendez has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. He has quickly resigned from his place as Chairman of the Senate International Relations Committee. Democratic guidelines within the Senate require a member accused of a felony to relinquish any management place.
President Joe Biden’s administration determined this month to permit a good portion of US international army support to Egypt to proceed, saying the nation is important to nationwide safety pursuits regardless of what critics have mentioned about human rights violations.
Murphy was among the many lawmakers who criticized the choice.
Consultant Don Beyer, a Democratic member of the Home of Representatives and co-founder of the Egypt Human Rights Caucus in Congress, mentioned that Egypt is “conducting a spying operation contained in the US Senate” and Washington should reply.
“I believe this requires a a lot stronger response from the Biden administration, and the direct response is to withhold (army funds),” Baer advised CNN.
(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Modifying by Tom Hogue)