NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge has rejected U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez’s request to delay his bribery trial by two months. The order Thursday by Judge Sidney H. Stein leaves in place a May 5 trial date for the Democrat, who faces trial along with his wife and three New Jersey businessmen. All have pleaded not guilty to charges alleging they engaged in a bribery conspiracy that enriched the senator and his wife with cash, gold bars and a luxury car. Menendez’s lawyers said they need extra time to sift through voluminous evidence before trial. They declined to comment on Stein’s Thursday order.
