Tonight, acting as a foreign agent while serving as chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee.

Additional charges filed against New Jersey senior senator and his wife.

>> It is alleged he engaged in corrupt efforts to influence both U.S. and non-US governments for improper purposes.

>> On the ground in Israel, negotiating peace plan Hamas unleashed its tirade of terror.

>> An ungodly attack by this group that is nothing more than pure evil as part of the manifesto.

>> As Palestinians in New Jersey lament the loss of loved ones.

>> My cousin's daughter, she lost four of her children.

Babies.

Babies.

Four of them under the rubble.

>> Check your bank account.

Payments begin to drop for renters and homeowners today.

NJ Spotlight News weakens right now.

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>> This is NJ Spotlight News with Briana Vannozzi.

Briana: We begin with breaking news.

New Jersey senior U.S.

Senator Bob Menendez is being hit with new federal charges tonight.

Prosecutors are accusing him of acting as an unregistered foreign agent of the Egyptian government.

Superseding indictment filed today in Manhattan federal court alleges he violated the foreign agents registration act which requires people to register with the U.S. government if they plan to act in that capacity.

Members of Congress are strictly barred from being an agent of a foreign government.

The new criminal charges come weeks after sweeping indictment charge he and his wife of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, gold, and a car.

In exchange or his help and influence.

He and his codefendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The indictment also alleges that Menendez provided sensitive U.S. government information and took other steps that secretly aided Egypt's government.

For more on what this means, I am joined by a former federal prosecutor.

Thank you for joining me.

These charges are stunning, but acting as an agent of a foreign principal.

Break that down for us what that means.

>> It is that someone acting on behalf of an entity or foreign government is required to register with the U.S. Justice Department and their criminal penalties for failing to do that.

>> How serious of a charge is this for a sitting member of the U.S. Senate, the cochair of the Foreign Relations Committee according to the indictment alleges between 2018 and 2022, the Senator agreed to and took actions not just on behalf of Egypt also on behalf of the Egyptian military.

>> This is kind of a multipurpose superseding charge which is a supplemental add-on to the existing indictment.

I think it plays into the Justice Department theme of the Senator's corrupt intent to the conduct that is alleged.

Briana: There are specific samples, a civilian American injured by an injection airstrike.

-- Egyptian airstrike.

There are military aid, it's alleged that the senator made action on that would be beneficial to Egypt.

Do you see a direct connection?

>> It expands upon and enlarges the picture that they're trying to paint with regard to his state of mind.

But each of these different paths to engage in corrupt efforts to influence both U.S. and non-US governments for improper purposes.

I think it's pretty clear that is part of the narrative there trying to portray the indictment and now with the superseding charge that is really an effort, I can tell you that once a defendant signals that they are not inclined to engage in settlement discussions, this is an effort to leverage the DOJ's position.

Briana: So we might see more of this?

Guest: Potentially so.

Briana: These are allegations, they have not been proven.

This is someone who has tremendous influence in the Senate.

As federal prosecutor, would you be looking into whether this casts a shadow on other dealings and other action he had taken during that time or perhaps around that time?

Guest: This new charge is certainly representative of that type.

This type of individual, you want to cover the waterfront.

I should have mentioned earlier as I think they indictment reflects, there is a categorical prohibition on members of Congress serving as foreign agent.

The registration issue is not even relevant here because of the Senate ethics rules that apply.

Briana: Our guest is an attorney.

Thank you so much.

Americans trapped in Israel will soon have charter flights to help ferry them from the war-torn area to destinations in Europe.

The years government says details are still being worked out but the flights begin tomorrow.

The decision comes as Antony Blinken today stood shoulder to shoulder with the prime minister of Israel vowing that the U.S. would always be there.

Israel is continuing airstrikes on Gaza where Hamas carried out a surprise attack six days ago that killed more than 1300 people in Israel including at least 27 Americans.

The humanitarian crisis is deepening.

More than 1400 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza including nearly 500 children.

Officials say many more are at risk of starvation with access to electricity, water, and other essential supplies cut off.

Senior correspondent spoke with New Jerseyans who are working to get themselves into their families out.

Guest: They are sleeping on the floors in the airport.

>> He says thousands of families lined up in the airport for days need help from the U.S. government to escape as the war intensifies.

Most airlines canceled flights leaving Americans stranded.

He and his family caught a last-minute flight out the day before it suspended operations.

Guest: How dare the American government not intervene?

You have a responsibility to bring back American people.

They just dropped cold turkey.

It is catastrophic and the State Department doesn't want to own up.

Reporter: Governments from several nations including Germany and France have sent airplanes to airlift residents out of the war zone.

The Biden administration announced it will arrange charter flights out of Israel for U.S. citizen starting tomorrow.

State Department is working on whether the flights we free.

The governor messaged he spoke to United Airlines CEO and it will add two additional flights in the coming days from Athens to Newark International.

Guest: I think the U.S. should help out more to get them out of there because it's getting worse every day.

It's getting worse.

Reporter: She spoke from an airport in Jordan.

Her tour group got caught in the initial Hamas rocket attack and fled the country on a three hour bus ride north.

She is booked on a flight tonight.

Guest: I was lucky, my group was lucky to get out quickly.

It was hard to get that bus.

They are using all the buses for the military.

Reporter: Israeli Defense forces are messing at the border as bombardment continues in retaliation for the October 7 Hamas terrorists all.

Antony Blinken again repeated U.S. resolve to stand by Israel.

At a news conference, he described images of Israelis slaughtered in the Hamas attack.

>> A baby, an infant riddled with bullets.

Soldiers beheaded.

Young people burned alive.

It almost defies comprehension.

Reporter: He also noted Hamas uses innocent civilians as humans shields.

He says he will be meeting with different Arab states to negotiate safe passage for Americans to leave Gaza.

New Jerseyans get intermittent calls from families in Gaza who say they are complete cut off without food, water, electricity fleeing their homes.

Guest: Sometimes he ran in the middle of the night and he hasn't heard from them since.

Civilians all of her guys are being targeted.

Not a single person feel safe.

Reporter: He is grieving his cousin and her four young children.

He says he doesn't condone violence against anyone but the blockade and attack -- Guest: It's a massacre of 2.3 million people.

Whatever happened on October 7 is nothing that you can convince me justified what's happening right now.

Every minute, people are being killed.

It's not just my family.

Reporter: The attack claimed another former New Jersey resident.

His parents confirmed the death on Facebook.

He attended the rave where Hamas gunned down hundreds of partygoers.

He hid in a concrete shelter but could not escape.

>> Every Israeli murdered by Hamas, every Palestinian in Gaza -- Reporter: At a vigil, people decried the lives lost and prayed for peaceful resolution.

A former Hamas leader has called for a global day of anger tomorrow and security around the New York Trout is on high alert.

Briana: This week, a small bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers met with Israeli Prime Minister and other Israeli government leaders.

It was to express unity and support in the wake of the surprise attack.

Among them, the South Jersey Congressman who sits on the House armed services committee.

It comes as the house remains divided over electing a new speaker and the disorder in the chamber has the potential to affect how and when aid gets delivered to Israel.

Donald Norcross joins me now to explain.

Thank you for joining us from Capitol Hill today.

What can you tell me about your visit with Israeli leaders and your ability to get in and out the small contingent you traveled with question mark Guest: This is part of scheduled trip to the Middle East.

Ironically focused on peace.

We were able to meet with the now Prince of Saudi Arabia Friday night where we had very direct conversation on what a peace plan with Israel and Saudi Arabia might look like.

As I suggest, we went to bed with the dream, the hope of long lasting peace in the Middle East.

Literally we awoke to a nightmare of an attack on Israel by Hamas.

An ungodly attack by this group that is nothing more than pure evil.

As part of the manifesto.

Certainly shocking, sad and concerning.

Briana: Based on the talks that you had then and what has transpired since, is there any hope of those negotiations and beyond this aid package that we know is being crafted, what else is the U.S. and what our congressional members doing in the situation?

Guest: First and foremost, to those who have lost loved ones, the humanity of what is going on here the literally execution of Hamas.

Briana: We know that there are Americans who are in Israel.

What is Congress doing?

What is being done to help those Americans out?

Is an airlift possible at this point Guest: We are hoping to expedite an airlift, but we saw firsthand driving literally from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv past the airport is the airport is open.

Over 400 airports -- flights.

Briana: It is open, but we have seen the photos of the absolute chaos at the airport in Tel Aviv.

The folks who are in distress trying to find a way out.

We spoke with one woman it has taken her several days to get to Dubai.

It is open, but it is not necessarily running smoothly.

Guest: It is not running smoothly and quite frankly, the American carriers are not running in and out.

We've encourage them to do so.

There are plans being developed as we speak that if needed, there would be the availability of an airlift out.

The vast majority of Americans who are living in Israel are staying there right now.

What we are looking for is in the developments of the future if it were to get worse, America does logistics better than any country in the world.

We would be able to get those American citizens who want out, we can get them out.

Briana: An important message for anyone listening.

Let me shift gears.

There is roughly $2 billion aid package crafted.

But you all still have no speaker in the chamber.

What is happening now that the GOP members have put forward Steve Scalise?

Guest: Let's make this perfectly clear.

Politics has no role in this.

We heard within the last few hours that Israel has put together a government.

We need to make sure that our government is up and functioning with a single purpose as we did after 9/11.

Military equipment is moving as we speak literally within hours.

Long-term within the next few weeks, we have to get this aid package together which means Republicans have to get their leadership together so we can come together as a unified government and help those democracies in this case Israel.

Briana: Congressman Norcross joining us, thank you for your time.

The Jersey City mayor says New Jersey has an affordable housing crisis and he has a plan to fix it.

Today he unveiled his latest proposal as a Democratic candidate for governor in 2025, pledging to double the funding for construction and overhaul state tax credits if elected.

Guest: When you talk about affordability, housing is a key part of that conversation.

Reporter: The Jersey City mayor is on the campaign mail -- trail.

Unveiling his plan to tackle affordable housing in New Jersey if elected as the next governor.

Reporter: -- Guest: We have a commitment to double the affordable housing production that has existed in Jersey.

Reporter: He says the Council on affordable housing needs reforms in terms of how municipalities are required to provide affordable housing.

To avoid a costly drawnout battle in the courts.

Guest: Transparency is important because people don't know what their municipality is doing.

Secondly, we want to tie state aid that you are eligible for to meeting those goals on affordable housing.

Reporter: The public session was held in South Orange in a new luxury complex that has set aside units as affordable housing.

Guest: As we meet our obligations, it's important that our affordable units mirror the market rate units.

The accommodations are identical and those in the affordable units have all access to the amenities.

That's what an inclusionary development should look like.

Reporter: It's one of several affordable housing developments in South Orange as part of the state requirement.

A key is they are building around the train station, something Jason Williams says is critical.

Guest: Transit hubs really important.

We need to understand that for you to have a home is for you to think about employment, childcare, education, access to health care.

Building around transit centered places are critical for those in a formal housing.

Reporter: The assemblywoman says they are happy to address rent increases that affect citizens.

Guest: People come to me or say this has happened, where is it outlined that something is reasonable or unreasonable?

We need clarity around that.

Reporter: The mayor governs a city that struggles with affordability perhaps more than any other in the state.

He believes his efforts are a model for other urban areas.

Guest: Jersey City has built more formal housing than any other New Jersey city.

You can always do better but we have built more than anybody in New Jersey.

Reporter: His plan would address tax abatements that he agrees are critical to incentivize developers, but they often become political footballs and local council meetings.

Guest: There is a massive misunderstanding about what tax abatements are.

There weaponized against local governments under the assumption that somehow a big greedy developer is getting an unfair advantage.

That is not correct.

The development community are our partners and achieving our affordable housing milestones.

Reporter: The mayor says that doubled affordable housing will be the first priority of his administration and it will happen in the first hundred days.

Briana: Tonight the state is one step closer to starting the massive Turnpike widening project between Newark and Jersey City.

On Wednesday, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority released a long-awaited environmental impact report for the construction and cited little to no impact on local communities.

The controversial $10 billion project would replace the aging Newark Bay Bridge and Biden about an eight mile stretch of the road starting at exit 14 on the Turnpike.

The report says the project will affect access to parks, community facilities, or places of worship.

It also says no residents will be displaced.

Local leaders aren't buying it saying the project will add noise, traffic, and pollution to an already over congested area of the state.

It won't reduce congestion over the long term.

Check your bank account because money from the anchor tax relief property program may have been automatically deposited.

The governor's office says direct deposits will start hitting today and paper checks will go out next week.

The tax breaks can be worth as much as $1750 for homeowners.

It uses tax information from 2020 and will not be taxed by the state according to treasury officials.

The money is going out a little earlier than expected.

The Murphy administration initially said his tradition would start November 1.

That's one week before the legislative elections.

Those who applied and have qualified will receive their benefit by November 1.

More than 3 million New Jersey residents are slated to get the direct property tax relief.

Markets are reacting to the latest inflation data on Wall Street.

It held steady in September.

Consumer prices rose .4% over last month and they are 3.7% higher than the year higher matching the increase we saw an August.

Here's how the markets closed today.

Be sure to tune in this weekend.

She highlights the labor side of -- side of the cannabis market.

Watch on our YouTube channel Saturday at 10 a.m.. That will do it for us tonight.

Be sure to catch Reporters Roundtable tomorrow.

David looks at the latest Menendez indictment and whether his mounting legal troubles are the last straw in the senator's political career.

A panel of local reporters break down this week's headlines.

Watch Fridays at noon.

Also reminder to download the NJ Spotlight News podcast so you can listen anytime.

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