![]() Supreme Court has issued a series of decisions narrowing the definition of public corruption. Menendez declined to comment on any of the allegations, citing the ongoing "inquiry." What they can't do is take money or gifts in exchange for an official act."Ī spokesperson for Sen. They can advocate for businesses within their jurisdictions. "A senator can certainly help somebody in his or her state," Rosenberg said. Sources familiar with the matter said investigators want to know if Egyptian officials knew of the ties between IS EG Halal and the senator's wife and whether there was any effort by any Egyptian official to try to run a foreign influence operation connected to Menendez. One source familiar with the company said Arslanian had received gifts from the owner, including jewelry, over the years. Sources close to IS EG Halal said Hana, the owner, has been longtime friends with the senator's wife - and that friendship existed long before she even met the senator. Nor is there any evidence whatsoever that the contract was awarded based upon bribery or corruption in Egypt - and nothing like that has ever even been alleged."Ī spokesperson for the Egyptian embassy in Washington, D.C., did not return several requests for comment. IS EG Halal has said the firm won the contract on the merits and denied any wrongdoing.Ī spokeswoman said the IS EG Halal firm won the contract "without any assistance from the senator or any other U.S. He explained any such payment could violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. "If representatives of this company were paying Egyptian officials for consideration, for favors, for an advantage in business, that's a crime," Rosenberg said. USDA Foreign Agricultural Service officers based in Egypt have turned over related documents to the Justice Department, the sources said. ![]() Sources familiar with the matter said that, as part of the ongoing investigation, the FBI is looking into whether any IS EG executive or associate paid any bribe to any Egyptian official. But Paradis points to past USDA reports on the controversy, including one that stated IS EG Halal "has no preexisting relationship with the US beef industry or Islamic organizations." "This corporation has no track record of doing these types of certifications - and yet the country in question earmarks them as the sole entity to perform that task?" Paradis said.Ī spokeswoman for Wael Hana, IS EG Halal's owner, issued a denial. Paradis played no role in the current criminal investigation into the senator and his relationship with IS EG Halal. Peter Paradis, the former deputy assistant inspector general at the USDA, said the change in contracts "defies logic." Seven longtime companies across the globe were suddenly fired by the Egyptian government and those firms lost millions in business to the Edgewater firm - a firm run by a Christian with little prior experience in Islamic certification of international meat imports and exports. In 2019, IS EG Halal was awarded an exclusive contract with the Egyptian government to certify Halal meat exports worldwide. She referred NBC News to past statements in which the senator acknowledged an ongoing "inquiry" and said that "should there be any official inquiries, the senator is available to provide any assistance requested of him or his office." ![]() Senate rules state in part that gifts to a member or someone close to him are considered gifts if a senator "has reason to believe the gift was given because of the official position."Ī spokeswoman for Menendez declined to comment when asked if the senator or his wife received a Mercedes, free rent, money or jewelry from the IS EG Halal business or associates. None of the items appear listed on Menendez's Senate disclosure forms. In addition to the investigation into any possible quid-pro-quo scheme, sources familiar with the matter said IRS criminal investigators are looking into whether the alleged gifts were properly accounted for on tax filings by the senator and his wife. Personal Loans for 670 Credit Score or Lower Personal Loans for 580 Credit Score or Lower Best Debt Consolidation Loans for Bad Credit
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