Sen. Bob Menendez’s defense begins with sister testifying about family tradition of storing cash

Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — The sister of Sen. Bob Menendez has come to her brother’s defense as the first witness called by his lawyers in the bribery case against him and two New Jersey businessmen. Caridad Gonzalez testified Monday, three days after prosecutors rested. She called it a “Cuban thing” to store cash at home. She says her family had to leave their property and bank accounts behind when they fled Cuba and only had the cash her father stored secretly in a clock. Menendez’s lawyers say the tradition explains why the FBI found hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash when they raided the senator’s home in 2022.