Well, good evening, everyone.

I'm Laura Coates, a week that began with Merritt Garland, being accused of weaponizing

the Department of Justice against Republicans, and is one of the most powerful Democrats

in Washington, D.C., now indicted for corruption.

The chairman of the Farm Relations Committee, New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, stands accused

of conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, conspiracy

to commit extortion under color of official right, essentially using his official position

to force someone to give him something of value.

Tonight, we are taking a deep dive into all of it from the investigation to the indictment,

and of course, the political fallout, and here are the big questions I've been asking

all day.

After seeing all the reports that's cut through all of it, here are the real questions.

Number one, did he do it, right?

Did he do it?

Could a senator who left a hung during his last trial for conspiracy, bribery and honest

services fraud sounds familiar, laid to allegedly personal favors really have been so brazen

a second time around?

Is this how the political talk is really made, or is this corruption at its very finest?

And of course, now the Senate rules force him to step down from his position as chairman

should he also step down from the Senate?

Or maybe the better question is, will he actually do that?

And of course, you've heard a lot about the two-tier justice system, right, and witch

...