Click on the 'Listen' button above to hear this interview. For the first time in 36 years,a sitting U.
S. senator finds himself facing a federal bribery trial. That's Democratic Senator Robert Menendez of original Jersey, whose public corruption trial on charges of fraud and bribery begins nowadays.
But this trial is uniquely essential for other reasons, or too. A guilty verdict that causes Menendez to relinquish his post,for instance, could open the door for original Jersey Governor Chris Christie to appoint a Republican lawmaker to the vacated spot. That would mean one more Republican vote in Washington at a time of ongoing tensions on Capitol Hill under the Trump Administration.
The outcome of the trial could also have long-lasting implications for how the government understands and interprets the relationship between politicians and donors.
To explain the case and whats at stake, and The Takeaway is joined by Nancy Solomon,managing editor for original Jersey Public Radio and WNYC.
This segment is hosted byTodd Zwillich.
Source: thetakeaway.org