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Senator 'Outraged' At Corruption Allegations

Powerful US Senator Robert Menendez has dismissed allegations that he used his office to promote the business interests of a friend and donor in exchange for gifts.

A federal grand jury indicted the New Jersey Democrat with conspiracy to commit bribery and wire fraud, among 14 counts.

Sen Menendez said he was "outraged" at the charges and insisted the prosecutors in the case were "dead wrong" and he intended to prove it.

"I will be vindicated," he said. "This is not how my career is going to end."

However, he resigned as the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee.

For more than two years, federal authorities have been investigating the 61-year-old Cuban-American lawmaker's relationship with Salomon Melgen.

The Florida ophthalmologist and Democratic donor was indicted along with Sen Menendez on Wednesday.

Dr Melgen has also been accused of overbilling Medicare, a federal health programme for the elderly, by nearly $9m (£6m) at his eye clinic.

In 2009 and 2012, Sen Menendez and his staff contacted health officials about their findings against Dr Melgen.

Sen Menendez also allegedly advocated for Dr Melgen's business interests in a Dominican Republic government contract for port-screening equipment.

In July 2012, Sen Menendez pressed for the US to apply pressure to the Dominican Republic to put the contract into effect.

That summer, Dr Melgen donated $700,000 to support the senator and other Democrats.

The investigation began with a tip that Sen Menendez had been lavishly entertained in 2010 by Dr Melgen at his holiday home in the Dominican Republic.

The senator admitted flying on Dr Melgen's private plane to the Caribbean resort and failing to properly pay for the trips.

He later paid back $58,000 to the donor, excusing his own failure to properly disclose the flights as an "oversight".

New Jersey's Star-Ledger newspaper promptly called on the senator to resign on Wednesday.

Its editorial board wrote: "The state needs a respected senator who is focused on his job, not a tarnished defendant who spends his days fending off credible charges of corruption and raising money for his legal defense."