Judge declines to dismiss Menendez charges

NEW JERSEY (FOX 5 NEWS) - Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey left Newark federal court after suffering a serious blow from the judge, who denied a motion by his attorneys to dismiss bribery charges.

The reason the defense attorneys wanted bribery dismissed was that they said it didn't meet the definition put forth by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2016.

Menendez is charged with accepting free flights on a private jet and other gifts from a wealthy Florida doctor, Salomon Melgen, in exchange for pressuring government officials to take actions favorable to the friend's business interests.

The senator's son, Robert Menendez Jr., took the stand the to describe the friendship between his father and the man he calls "Uncle Sal."

Dr. Melgen's wife Flora flew in from the Dominican Republic to testify on the years of friendship between the two families.

Even with bribery remaining as part of the charges, the most serious charge Menendez faces is wire services fraud, punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Menendez is 63.