Adjunct Professor Joel Cohen wrote an op-ed in The Hill about the upcoming trial of Senator Robert Menendez for corruption offenses.
Senator Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) is about to go on trial in New Jersey for corruption offenses. Both he and the government are entitled to a fair trial, whatever the charged offenses, just as in the case of every criminal defendant.
No defendant deserves special treatment because he’s a big shot public figure — even the former chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee and current member and ranking member of several other committees, as Menendez is.
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As of this moment, Menendez is the sitting senator from New Jersey with a constitutional right to be present at his trial and a constitutional “obligation” to vote the interests of his constituency.