Judge rejects Sen. Bob Menendez request to delay criminal trial

A federal judge in New York on Thursday rejected an attempt by Sen. Bob Menendez to delay his criminal trial until July.

Menendez, who has been charged with conspiring to act as an agent of Egypt and other alleged offenses, is scheduled to stand trial in May. He had sought a two-month delay to account for what his lawyers described as voluminous evidence that required more time to examine.

Judge Sidney Stein found the argument from Menendez's legal team unpersuasive.

"The fact that discovery has been voluminous is consistent with the parties' stated expectations on October 2 and does not justify a two month adjournment of the schedule. In fact, the volume of discovery material is less than defendants were concerned it was when they sought the adjournment on December 20,” Stein wrote in the judgment.

The trial is set to begin May 6.

Menendez has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The senator has said he will not step down from office and has strongly denounced the charges.