Former Democrat Sen. Bob Menendez proclaimed his innocence and lashed out following his sentencing on Wednesday, saying "President [Donald] Trump is right" in his critique of the criminal justice system.
Earlier in the day, Menendez was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his crimes related to corruption, fraud, and acting as a foreign agent. In August, a federal jury in New York found Menendez guilty of 16 counts of conspiracy and bribery for using his office for personal financial gain, which included receiving cash, gold bars, and a luxury car from three New Jersey businessmen.
Menendez, who resigned last summer, had tried running as an independent candidate in New Jersey's U.S. Senate race.
"This whole process has been nothing but a political witch hunt by the Justice Department and prosecutors, who are more interested in political scalps and preparing to run for public office, like Damian Williams. Welcome to the Southern District of New York, the Wild West of political prosecutions," Menendez said.
"President Trump is right. This process is political, and it's corrupted to the core. I hope President Trump cleans up this cesspool and restores the integrity to the system," he added.
Trump had often referred to his various indictments as a political witch hunt from the Justice Department, ranging from his classified documents case and the raid at Mar-a-Lago to the Russian collusion investigation by the special counsel led by Robert Mueller.
U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon said in a statement: "The sentences imposed today result from an egregious abuse of power at the highest levels of the Legislative Branch of the federal government. Robert Menendez was trusted to represent the United States and the State of New Jersey, but instead he used his position to help his co-conspirators and a foreign government, in exchange for bribes like cash, gold, and a luxury car.
"The sentences imposed today send a clear message that attempts at any level of government to corrupt the nation’s foreign policy and the rule of law will be met with just punishment."
Menendez was not one of the thousands of pardons and commutations that former President Joe Biden gave out during the final weeks of his presidency, leaving some to specicuate he has to now shift his allegiance to Trump.
Realizing he was unlikely to get a pardon from Biden, Menendez shifted his focus onto Trump, three people familiar with the discussions told NBC earlier in the month.