Menendez attorneys grill star witness in bribery trial about alleged payoffs

• Defense lawyers grilled Jose Uribe, the star witness in the federal corruption trial of Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., about his credibility.
• Uribe was one of three New Jersey businessmen who were originally charged in the case along with Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez.
• Uribe testified that he paid for a Mercedes-Benz convertible for Nadine, who was then Menendez's girlfriend, in exchange for the senator's influence.

Defense attorneys on Tuesday scrutinized the credibility of the star witness in the federal corruption trial of Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., after he testified that he bribed the embattled lawmaker and his wife.

The witness, Jose Uribe, was one of three New Jersey businessmen who were originally charged in the case along with Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez.

Uribe flipped in early March, pleading guilty and agreeing to cooperate with prosecutors in hopes of avoiding prison when he is sentenced for his crimes, which carry a maximum of 95 years in prison.

In his direct testimony on the witness stand in New York federal court, Uribe said that in 2019 he paid for a Mercedes-Benz convertible for Nadine, who was then Menendez's girlfriend, in exchange for the senator's influence.

Prosecutors have accused Menendez of trying to interfere in New Jersey state criminal investigations related to Uribe's associates.

"That was my promise to her so she could get the car and comply with the deal," Uribe testified Monday.

On cross-examination Tuesday, an attorney for Menendez co-defendant Wael Hana sought to undermine Uribe's testimony, NBC News reported.

The lawyer, Ricardo Solano, asked Uribe if it was "fair to say when in trouble, you lie to get away with it?" 

Uribe responded, "I have lied in the past,"