Did Senator Robert Menendez and his wife receive cars, Washington apartments, and other "gifts" from the New Jersey business community?
Insiders say the Justice Department is investigating whether it is suspected of giving expensive gifts, including a Mercedes Benz, a luxury Washington apartment, money, and jewelry, to New Jersey Senator Robert Fernandez and his wife.
According to sources, investigators want to know whether these tens of thousands of dollars worth of gifts came from the owner or partner of a company in Edgewater, which has won a controversial exclusive halal meat certification contract with the Egyptian government. Despite complaints from USDA officials that the New Jersey company had no prior experience in this field.
Last week, Mercedes stated, "I believe there will be no final outcome to this matter." He denied any misconduct related to the ongoing federal corruption investigation.
Sources familiar with the matter say that New York's Southern District federal prosecutor Damian Williams, as well as agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigation Department, are investigating whether the senator and his newlywed wife Nadine Arslanian improperly received gifts from Islamic State owners or accomplices. EG Halal - and whether the senator has taken any action in return.
Menendes is a Democrat who serves as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and helps oversee billions of dollars in aid to Egypt.
NBC News legal analyst Chuck Rosenberg said, "The prosecutor clearly wants to investigate whether money, apartments, or cars were provided to the senator or someone close to him in exchange for an official act
Insiders say that in addition to investigating any possible exchange plans, the US Internal Revenue Service's criminal investigators are investigating whether the accused gift was correctly recorded on the senator and his wife's tax returns. There are no items listed in Mercedes' Senate disclosure form.
The Senate Rules section stipulates that if a senator "has reason to believe that the gift was given for official purposes," giving a gift to a senator or someone close to him is considered a gift.
When asked if the senator or his wife obtained a Mercedes Benz, free rent, money, or jewelry from IS EG Halal or affiliated companies, a spokesperson for Menendez declined to comment. She mentioned her past statement to NBCNewYork.com,