Witness at Sen. Bob Menendez’s bribery trial says meat-export monopoly made costs soar
By LARRY NEUMEISTER
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — A witness at Sen. Bob Menendez’s bribery trial says the cost of certifying that meat sent to Egypt follows Islamic dietary requirements skyrocketed after a single U.S. company was given a monopoly in a cozy deal prosecutors say Menendez arranged. James Bret Tate is a U.S. diplomat who was based in Cairo for several years. He explained to a Manhattan federal court jury Friday how Halal meat certification ended up in the hands of a single U.S. company rather than many. Prosecutors say the Democrat was behind the creation of the monopoly as a payback for bribes he received from a friend of his wife.
