How will US foreign policy change with Menendez facing charges?

U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez was among the most vocal critics of a nuclear deal with Iran. He has clashed with presidents on easing sanctions in Cuba and Venezuela. He has called for stepped-up military support for Ukraine.

Through several administrations, the New Jersey senator has garnered a reputation as one of the most hawkish Democrats on foreign policy. But that moniker doesn’t tell the whole story. Menendez has also made his mark defending human rights and advocating for migrants, say policy experts.

Whether he was taking a hard-line stance or wearing a more progressive hat, one thing has been clear: Menendez aggressively wielded his power as chair of the powerful U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations to affect policy, whether he was backing the administration’s priorities or clashing with them.

That role has ended. Menendez stepped down as chair last month after a federal indictment alleging that he took bribes to use his power and influence to help three New Jersey businessmen and benefit the Egyptian government. He was replaced by U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md.

With Menendez out as chair, it could clear the way for more progressive foreign policy goals to pass.

Son of Cuban immigrants

A child of Cuban immigrants, Menendez has been perhaps most impassioned about maintaining strict sanctions on Cuba. He has taken a similar approach to Venezuela, opposing any concessions to the regime of Nicolás Maduro, arguing that removing sanctions "will only betray our democratic values and further empower criminal dictators."

His fierce opposition has put him at odds with the Obama and Biden administrations at times and with fellow Democrats and policy groups who say sanctions crippled local economies and contributed to the surge in migration from those countries.

Menendez's opposition "has made it more difficult for the Biden administration to move forward with advancing polices with Cuba,” said Maureen Meyer, vice president for programs at the Washington Office on Latin America, a human rights research and advocacy organization. “Biden came in with a platform of reengagement with Cuba and taking Cuba off the State Sponsors of Terrorism list.”

Menendez was chair and ranking member of the Committee on Foreign Relations from 2013 to 2015, when he stepped down amid charges that he used his office to benefit a Florida eye doctor in exchange for nearly $1 million in gifts and campaign contributions. He resumed his position after his case resulted in a hung jury and charges were dropped.

As chair, Menendez could write legislation, call hearings, block foreign aid and advance the president's nominations for diplomatic posts — authority that could be used to leverage political power.

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"I think Senator Menendez's resistance to [sanctions] has been a roadblock to progress for the Biden administration. Let's remember he was the chair of a very powerful committee that can determine how many nominations go forward," Meyer said, noting the large number of vacant ambassador posts.

At the same time, Menendez has championed human rights in the region, Meyer said, adding that he had been “one of the most engaged members of Congress on U.S. policy toward Latin America.” He has opposed policies seen as harmful to asylees and fought for immigration reforms, she said.

“He has been willing to raise important issues with the U.S. administrations as well as governments in the region on areas including human rights, rule of law, treatment of migrant seekers and asylum seekers,” Meyer said.

When guiding or responding to policy on the Middle East, Menendez has often taken a hawkish stance. A longtime supporter of Israel and a favorite son of the powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee, he was a leading critic of the multinational deal to halt Iran's production of nuclear weapons. He supported a measure to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, which was controversial because of Palestinian claims on the eastern part of the city.

Menendez was also one of just two Democrats to support David Friedman, Donald Trump’s choice to serve as U.S. ambassador to Israel. Friedman, Trump’s bankruptcy lawyer, had no diplomatic experience, was pro-settler and called American Jews who support a two-state solution "worse than "kapos," who were inmates who served as prison guards in Nazi concentration camps.

In other areas, Menendez has led on human rights. In 2018, he sponsored the Saudi Arabia Accountability and Yemen Act, which called for placing sanctions on Saudi officials over the war in Yemen and for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He called for suspending sales of fighter jets to Turkey, concerned about human rights and Turkey's resistance to Sweden's membership in NATO.

“When it comes to Menendez, it’s a bit mixed,” said Seth Binder, director of advocacy for the Project on Middle East Democracy. “He was opposed to the Iran nuclear deal, and I think he was seen as hawkish in that way. But he was also willing to raise democracy and human rights concerns in U.S. partners like Turkey and Saudi Arabia, including exercising his unique authority as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to put holds on arms sales to both countries.”

Power plays

For Menendez, maintaining American geopolitical power has been paramount, and he has led efforts to counter the influence of China and Russia. Last year, he blocked arms sales to Saudi Arabia in response to the kingdom's cutting oil sales in a move that would benefit Russia. He has been an ally to President Joe Biden in supporting stepped-up military assistance to Ukraine in its war with Russia.

Menendez also introduced legislation to give Taiwan some $4.5 billion in military funding over four years, to strengthen diplomatic ties with Taiwan and to counter China’s influence campaign.

“At a time of increasing challenges from adversaries seeking to threaten the international order, from my perch as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, I am increasingly of the view that the United States has to lead the creation of an economic alliance among like-minded countries,” Menendez said in a speech in May. “[We must] provide a framework for cooperative action in response to military aggression, violations of sovereignty, economic coercion and retaliation by adversaries.”

As chair, Menendez also fought to give Congress more oversight, proposing a bill to require the president to submit the Iran nuclear agreement to Congress for review. He pushed for an amendment on another bill, related to China, that would give his committee power to review any agreement a president makes with a foreign government. Critics suspect it was aimed at blocking an Iran deal, Foreign Policy magazine reported in a 2021 news story titled “Robert Menendez Is the Last Hawk on the Left.”

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What’s next?

Menendez vacated the chairmanship after a federal indictment last month accusing him of accepting bribes to use his power and influence to secretly help Egypt buy U.S. weapons and remove holds on U.S. financing, and to help enrich three New Jersey businessmen.

His replacement, Cardin, has already taken action to block military aid to Egypt, citing human rights concerns. Cardin is known for anti-corruption efforts and for authoring the Magnitsky Act, which allows the U.S. to sanction individuals, and not just governments, over human rights violations.

Cardin has also spoken of the need to keep up strong U.S. support of Ukraine. But unlike Menendez, he has pushed for Congress to normalize diplomatic relations with Cuba.

He has also been an outspoken supporter of Israel, Binder said, adding that he does not expect significant changes in that area. But although he voted against Obama’s Iran deal in 2015, Cardin later said it was a mistake when the Trump administration moved to withdraw from the agreement, saying Iran was complying with the terms.

Cardin has announced that he will retire at the end of his congressional term in 2025.

"It's going to be an interesting year in Congress," Binder said. "Senator Menendez's fate we will see. Cardin is retiring, and there will likely be other changes in leadership."

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Bob Menendez indictment, Egypt charges may affect US foreign relations