Government Not Impressed by Menendez’s “Policy” Approach to Speech or Debate

The government has filed its brief in opposition to Senator Menendez’s Speech or Debate arguments. A fuller analysis will have to wait, but the arguments look to be pretty much as I expected.

From the brief’s conclusion:

Defendant Menendez’s broad, unprincipled interpretation of the Speech or Debate Clause is a blueprint for immunizing criminal activity on Capitol Hill. Under defendant Menendez’s interpretation, all a Member of Congress—or staffer—would have to do in order to shield his illegal activity from criminal prosecution is insert the word “policy” into a corrupt conversation, mention an unrelated bill in an unlawful email, write something legislative on a calendar entry for an illicit gathering, threaten to hold a hearing at the conclusion of a meeting, or ask for a briefing at the end of an effort to influence the Executive Branch.

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