Well, good evening, im laura coates. A week that began with Merrick Garland being accused of weaponizing the Department Of Justice against republicans ends with one of the most powerful democrats in washington, d. C. Now indicted for corruption. The chairman of the Foreign Relations committee, new jersey senator bob menendez stands accused of conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit fraud, conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right. Essentially using his official position to force someone to give him something of value. Tonight, we are taking a deep dive into all of it from the investigation to the indictment and, of course, the political fallout and here are the Big Questions ive been asking all day, after seeing all the reports ive cut through all of it, here are the real questions, number one, did he do it . Right did he do it . Could a senator who left a hung jury in his last trial for conspiracy, bribery and Honest Services fraud, sound familiar, led to
You are live in the cnn newsroom. Im jim acosta in washington. Good afternoon. A major new deadline hangs over washington and the heads of federal employees across country. Just one week from today the federal government face as midnight shutdown and unless a funding bill can be passed and signed by the president. With every passing hour that looks more unlikely. House speaker Kevin Mccarthy sent lawmakers home for a long weekend after federal agencies becoming a formal process preparing for a shutdown of Military Personnel. Their paychecks could be delayed for weeks as a crisis grows at the Southern Board Perp federal officials sending more resources to help with this weeks surge of migrants crossing into the u. S. Today House Speaker Kevin Mccarthy conceded he has to win over republicans hardliners but hopeful theyll fall in line to pass a Stopgap Spending Measure and prevent a shutdown. Finally agree on this, and shutting down i dont see and cnn chief Congress Correspondent manu raj