Rebuffed by Biden, former Senator Bob Menendez seeks pardon from Trump

Allies of former Senator from New Jersey Bob Menendez have approached the White House on his behalf multiple times since the fall to see if President Joe Biden might be willing to pardon him, according to four people familiar with the discussions, NBC News said, Report informs.

Left with the impression that he won’t receive a pardon from Biden, Menendez has now shifted his focus onto President-elect Donald Trump, three people familiar with the discussions said.

Menendez told people close to him even before the November election that he might have a better chance of securing clemency from Trump, two people with direct knowledge of his comments said. And in recent weeks, he has discussed with people close to him whether he might be more successful with Trump if he sought a sentence commutation rather than a full pardon, three people familiar with the discussions said.

Menendez is facing potentially years in prison after he was convicted on federal corruption charges in July, with federal prosecutors last week recommending a sentence of at least 15 years.

Menendez, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, resigned from the Senate in August. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 29. His pursuit of a pardon from the president underscores how concerned the 71-year-old is about spending significant time in prison.

Biden and Menendez, both Democrats and former chairmen of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, are not particularly close. Their relationship has been contentious at times, with disagreements over high-profile issues such as Iran and more recently over Biden’s willingness to move toward Republicans on immigration policies, which Menendez called “truly shameful.”

Menendez, along with all Senate Democrats, voted to convict Trump during both of his impeachment trials, which the president-elect is unlikely to easily forget, according to a source close to Trump. But two people familiar with the discussions said the former senator has suggested to people close to him that a rejection of a pardon from Biden might make Trump more inclined to grant him clemency.

Menendez declined to comment.

Representatives for the White House and the Trump team did not respond to requests for comment.