The List: 11 other indicted US senators

<p>Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey has been officially charged for corruption after years of investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice.</p><p>The charges came Wednesday, weeks after Menendez <a href="http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/03/06/cbs-news-justice-department-prepping-corruption-charges-against-senator-robert-menendez/" target="_blank">staunchly denied</a> the accusations during a press conference:</p> <p><strong>"Let me be very clear. I have always conducted myself appropriately and in accordance with the law."</strong></p><p><a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/new-jersey-sen-robert-menendez-indicted-on-corruption-charges-1427900772?tesla=y" target="_blank">The Wall Street Journal</a> reports a federal grand jury handed down a 14-count indictment — those charges include conspiracy to commit bribery and wire fraud. </p><p><strong>"She was paid money to, uh, be with him." </strong></p> <p>The investigation into Menendez first started in 2012 when conservative blog The Daily Caller posted a <a href="http://dailycaller.com/2012/11/01/women-sen-bob-menendez-paid-us-for-sex-in-the-dominican-republic/" target="_blank">video of an interview with a prostitute</a> who said she was paid to sleep with Menendez while he was in the Dominican Republic.  </p><p>That claim was never proven, and other prostitutes who made similar statements later recanted. But during the investigation into those allegations, the FBI <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/fbi-probing-allegations-sen-menendez-patronized-prostitutes-in-dominican/2013/02/15/49b64e7c-77c5-11e2-8f84-3e4b513b1a13_story.html" target="_blank">started to take an interest</a> in Menendez's relationship with Salomon Melgen, a Florida eye doctor and political donor. </p><p><strong>"The doctor is accused of taking Sen. Menendez on free trips to the Dominican Republic,"</strong> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_EF6dWDOYU" target="_blank">WPTV reporter Katie Johnson said</a>. </p> <p>Melgen is from the Dominican Republic and is believed to have cozied up to Menendez with gifts and political donations. </p><p>The Florida eye doctor faces his own set of federal corruption charges. <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-03-30/doctor-tied-to-senator-menendez-said-to-face-u-s-charges-soon" target="_blank">According to Bloomberg</a>, the Justice Department may formally charge Melgen soon.</p><p>The Los Angeles Times quotes Senate Historian Donald A. Ritchie who says if Menendez is convicted, however, the Senate will probably <a href="http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-senator-menendez-charged-in-corruption-case-20150323-story.html" target="_blank">begin expulsion proceedings</a>. </p><p><em>This video includes images from Getty Images. </em></p>