Nancy Solomon

One morning in June of 2024, during the trial of Bob Menendez, I was sitting in the hallway finishing a cup of coffee outside the courtroom. There was only one other person there, standing next to the bench, looking out at the spectacular Manhattan view from the 23rd floor. Bob Menendez. He was singing, and it was killing me that I couldn't record it.

One morning in June of 2024, during the trial of Bob Menendez, I was sitting in the hallway finishing a cup of coffee outside the courtroom. There was only one other person there, standing next to the bench, looking out at the spectacular Manhattan view from the 23rd floor. Bob Menendez. He was singing, and it was killing me that I couldn't record it.

One morning in June of 2024, during the trial of Bob Menendez, I was sitting in the hallway finishing a cup of coffee outside the courtroom. There was only one other person there, standing next to the bench, looking out at the spectacular Manhattan view from the 23rd floor. Bob Menendez. He was singing, and it was killing me that I couldn't record it.

This is Tracy Tully. She's a reporter for The New York Times, and she was in court almost every day.

This is Tracy Tully. She's a reporter for The New York Times, and she was in court almost every day.

This is Tracy Tully. She's a reporter for The New York Times, and she was in court almost every day.

Bob Menendez grew up in Union City. His parents had come from Cuba. His father was a carpenter and a gambler, and his mother a factory seamstress. He's often told the story about how he qualified for an honors program when he was a senior in high school, but he couldn't afford the books.

Bob Menendez grew up in Union City. His parents had come from Cuba. His father was a carpenter and a gambler, and his mother a factory seamstress. He's often told the story about how he qualified for an honors program when he was a senior in high school, but he couldn't afford the books.

Bob Menendez grew up in Union City. His parents had come from Cuba. His father was a carpenter and a gambler, and his mother a factory seamstress. He's often told the story about how he qualified for an honors program when he was a senior in high school, but he couldn't afford the books.

This is from a public TV interview in 2012.

This is from a public TV interview in 2012.

This is from a public TV interview in 2012.

It wasn't long before Menendez developed a brand.

It wasn't long before Menendez developed a brand.

It wasn't long before Menendez developed a brand.

The fighter you don't want to mess with. And this stuck with him, from the Union City School Board in 1974 to his time as top Democrat on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, nearly 50 years later.

The fighter you don't want to mess with. And this stuck with him, from the Union City School Board in 1974 to his time as top Democrat on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, nearly 50 years later.

The fighter you don't want to mess with. And this stuck with him, from the Union City School Board in 1974 to his time as top Democrat on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, nearly 50 years later.

This is Nicholas Charavalati.

This is Nicholas Charavalati.