Senator Robert Menendez arrived at federal court in New York on Wednesday (27 September) to answer to charges alleging he used his powerful post to secretly advance Egyptian interests and carry out favours for local businessmen in exchange for bribes of cash and gold bars. The New Jersey Democrat made his first court appearance amid growing calls from colleagues that he resign from Congress. A defiant Mr Menendez has said the allegations against him are baseless and that he will be exonerated. He also has no intention of leaving the Senate. This is the second corruption case in a decade against Mr Menendez. Jurors failed to reach a verdict in his 2017 trial.