U.S. Senator Robert Menendez on Friday defended his actions as appropriate amid reports that the Justice Department is preparing charges of corruption against him for his dubious ties with a Florida doctor and political donor.
"Let me be very clear, I have always conducted myself appropriately and in accordance with the law," Menendez, a Democrat, told a news conference held in Newark of his home state of New Jersey.
"Every action that I and my office have taken for the last 23 years that I have been privileged to be in the United States Congress has been based on pursuing the best policies for the people of New Jersey and this entire country," Menendez said.
He did not answer questions from the media, citing the ongoing federal investigation against him.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has signed off on prosecutors' request to proceed with the criminal charges of corruption against Menendez, which are expected to be announced within weeks, U.S. media reported.
The Justice Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have probed a variety of allegations about Menendez's relationship with Salomon Melgen, an ophthalmologist whom the lawmaker calls a friend and political donor.
His failure to reimburse Melgen for flights between New Jersey and the Dominican Republic on the latter's private jet was the first serious signal of Menendez's legal troubles in early 2013.
In 2010, Menendez flew to the Dominican Republic as a guest of Melgen's. He was suspected to have helped Melgen secure a deal to sell port screening equipment to the Caribbean country.
Menendez also defended Melgen against federal Medicare administrators who accused Melgen of overbilling the government-run healthcare program, according to media reports. Melgen has been a major Democratic donor.
Menendez, who is serving his second term as senator, was first appointed to the Senate in 2006 after serving as a lawmaker in the House of Representatives since 1993. He had been the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from January 2013 to last November when the Democrats lost control of the Senate in the mid-term elections.
But Menendez is believed to be the least favorite Democrat to the White House, mainly because he is one of the most vocal opponents of President Barack Obama's ongoing efforts to restore diplomatic ties with Cuba and negotiate a deal on the Iranian nuclear program.
