TRENTON, NJ – New Jersey Senators Michael Testa and Senate Minority Leader Anthony M. Bucco have expressed concerns over a possible link between Senator Bob Menendez and the appointment of former New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal as the Director of Enforcement for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2021.
A recent article suggests that Menendez, who chairs the U.S. Senate Banking Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and Investment, might have influenced Grewal’s SEC position. The article also points to a close relationship between Menendez and Balpreet Grewal-Virk, Gurbir Grewal’s cousin, characterized by significant campaign contributions.
Senator Testa stated, “The reported connection between Menendez and the Grewal family necessitates an immediate investigation by the Senate Judiciary Committee into the Senator’s contacts with the Office of Attorney General.”
A federal indictment against Senator Menendez alleges that he pressured a “senior state prosecutor” in New Jersey, identified in media reports as Grewal, to meddle in ongoing criminal cases to further Menendez’s alleged bribery activities.
Senator Bucco emphasized the urgency of initiating an independent investigation. He stated, “New Jerseyans deserve clarity on the concerns surrounding Senator Menendez and the Attorney General’s Office. Only a comprehensive independent probe can shed light on the Attorney General’s Office’s actions in this situation.”
The Attorney General’s Office is currently investigating Menendez’s attempted interference in a criminal case and favorable criminal case decision while Grewal was the Attorney General.