Bob Menendez poised to blame his wife in bribe case defense

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Bob Menendez is prepared to blame his wife at his bribery trial for withholding information from him about gifts they allegedly accepted from businessmen seeking favors, a newly unsealed court document shows.

The revelation came Tuesday in a portion of a March court filing in which lawyers for the New Jersey Democrat asked a U.S. judge to try him separately from his wife, Nadine. They are accused of accepting bribes of cash, gold bars and a car to help three businessmen and the Egyptian government. Menendez, 70, is also charged with acting as a foreign agent of Egypt.