the trial of us Senator Bob Menendez resumed today after a three-day delay due to codefendant Fred D coming down with covid but prosecutors got right back to work bringing the US attorney for New Jersey Philip Selinger back onto the stand for another day of testimony singer detailing favors he says he refused to perform for Dees when asked by Menendez now the defense had their shot at Selinger but shortly after Mike Solomon a key Menendez Aid shared some of the back room deals he says were made to punish Selinger as retribution senior correspondent Brenda Flanigan was in court today and joins me now from New York Brenda what did you see and hear today and why did the prosecution have Selinger on the stand well Joanna first let's say that we're back after missing three trial days while codefendant Fred Davies was recovering from covid he's back in court today and it's a good thing because the testimony today revolved around whether Senator Menendez used his influence to help de beat a federal bank fraud rap in return for gold bars and cash now us attorney Philip Selinger was back on the stand today and he told jurors that Menendez asked him to seriously consider the de's case when they were discussing whether or not Menendez was going to recommend him to be us attorney Salinger Warren Menendez look I might have to recuse myself avoid the D's case because of a potential legal conflict of interest and he said that's when Menendez told him I'm sorry you know you're not my man I'm I'm going to go with someone else Joanna okay so Brenda what did you hear in terms of the why Selinger was no longer nominated for the position of us attorney for New Jersey well the defense team today argued that it had nothing to do with the de's case what they said look at this White House memo they showed it to the jurors and the memo does ask US senators to cons to consider candidates who are diverse people of color Menendez argued that's why he went with Esther Suarez a Latina who was the Hudson County prosecutor the next witness on the stand shot that full of holes that is Michael Solomon he is a political consultant he worked off and on for Menendez and he said that the me the memo the White House memo story was not true it was an excuse that Menendez had a falling out with uh Selinger Solomon testified that he warned Menendez the Suarez case would get some very negative press Joanna Brenda what did Mike Solomon have to add in terms of how they were communicating with press at this time as the Press was trying to figure out who that nominee for us attorney was going to be Joanna it's because it showed that there were a lot of curveballs that were being thrown by the Menendez office essentially they described them manipulating news coverage uh by Outlets like the New Jersey Globe even offering a bogus list of candidates that Menendez might recommend people that he never intended to nominate to be the US attorney for New Jersey but they were trying to I guess muddy the waters a little bit about what was going on ultimately the White House though rejected Suarez okay so Brenda after they reject Suarez how do we get back to us attorney he is now Philip Salinger is now our us attorney for New Jersey how did they get there well according to testimony today Menendez eventually did recommend Salinger but he called him Plan B um I guess Salinger told him look it's not up to me to recuse myself from the case that's up to the Department of justice so Menendez recommended him and still pushed by the way for Solomon to lobby for the de's case but the Department of Justice did not allow that and testimony will continue not tomorrow because tomorrow is juneth but on Thursday and this trial is falling behind schedule Joanna all right senior correspondent Brenda Flanigan in New York for us Brenda great insight as always into these very complicated hearings thank you [Music]