Media Advisory
In response to the jury verdict conviction of Senator Bob Menendez in New York federal court for various crimes, including accepting bribes from the Egyptian government to ensure continued approval of military support to the regime, DAWN issued the following statement:
"Senator Menendez's conviction today is an important step in accountability, but our government must do much more to investigate, root out and punish these naked acts of corruption and undue influence by Middle East dictatorships that are rotting our democratic institutions," said Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of DAWN. "The Justice Department should investigate every single communication between Egyptian government officials and our elected representatives and hold Egypt accountable for attempting to subvert our democracy."
"It's not only the American people who have been injured by the Egyptian government's successful efforts to corrupt our elected officials to secure U.S. support, but the Egyptian people as well, who must live under the misery of a U.S.-backed dictatorship," said Raed Jarrar. "On the merits and under the law, our government should not be providing a single cent in military aid to Egypt."
