Bob Menendez Isn’t Pointing the Finger at His Wife—Yet

Embattled Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and his accused co-conspirator wife may be looking to separate in court—but legal experts say that’s no sign their bond isn’t still strong.

The duo, charged with taking bribes from shady Garden State businessmen and acting as agents of the Egyptian government, triggered a spurt of speculation Monday night when they filed motions to sever their cases and force the government to prosecute them in two separate trials. At the heart of their arguments was the revelation that the veteran Democratic lawmaker plans to testify in his own defense—but worries that doing so could unfairly force him to forfeit his legal right not to incriminate his wife.

“A joint trial of Senator Menendez with his co-defendants will: force Senator Menendez to make an impossible and prejudicial choice between testifying on his own behalf and exercising his spousal privilege to avoid being converted through cross-examination into a witness against his spouse,” reads the brief Menendez’s high-power legal team filed in Manhattan federal court. “Senator Menendez intends to present a defense arguing (in part) that he lacked the requisite knowledge of much of the conduct and statements of his wife, Nadine, and thus lacks scienter and did not agree to join any of the charged conspiracies. By this defense, senator

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