Opening arguments started today in the bribery trial of Nadine Menendez, the wife of disgraced U.S.

Senator Bob Menendez, who earlier this year was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his role in the widespread corruption scheme.

The 58 year old Nadine Menendez arrived at Manhattan federal court alone this morning.

Her trial has been delayed multiple times due to her cancer treatment.

Defense attorneys say Nadine didn't know what her once powerful husband was up to.

But prosecutors painted a different picture.

Senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan was inside the courtroom as the trial got underway.

And joins us now from outside.

Good to see you.

So how did prosecutors lay out this case?

Well, I have to describe first how Nadine looked in in the courtroom.

She was sitting all by herself, sitting at that defense table with just a couple of attorneys.

And she looked very much alone.

Her husband, former Senator Bob Menendez, was not with her in court today.

And that was probably deliberate.

Why?

Well, as you pointed out, he's facing an 11 year sentence for conviction on bribery and corruption and taking bribes of gold and and cash for selling his influence to day.

Prosecutors, essentially in opening arguments against his wife, kept connecting the two.

They said that Nadine was working with, Bob Menendez all through this, that they were partners in crime and partners in corruption over and over.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Palmer said that the former senator had the political power to make decisions that people would pay for, and that Nadine could get her hands dirty.

She essentially agreed to do the things that the senator did not want to get caught doing that she did the dirty work.

Brianna.

So if they're saying that they were, you know, quote unquote, partners in crime, what was the defense's argument?

Of course, these trials were specifically made to be separate.

Exactly.

And during his trial, Bob Menendez, his defense strategy, as you pointed out, was to claim that his wife orchestrated this whole scheme and kept him in the dark about her financial situation and what she was doing about it.

But prosecutors say that they're going to prove both of them Menendez's work together on to influence two criminal cases and to, essentially benefit the government of Egypt in return for bribes like a Mercedes Benz and no show job, gold and cash that Nadine acted as the go between that, she passed messages to the senator and that she collected the bribes from three new Jersey businessmen and that together they corrupted his office.

Together they corrupted his office and betrayed that the people, the people that he was elected to serve.

Now, in terms of the defense attorney, Barry Colburn made a very brief statement, Brianna.

He said that the prosecution's characterization of his client's actions as, quote, nefarious, were grossly inaccurate.

Coburn told the jury, quote, there will be an utter failure of proof with respect to knowledge and intent, with every element, every count in this case, he said.

And that's going to lead jurors to a not guilty verdict.

However, I do have to note that Judge Stein has instructed jurors, quote, lack of knowledge of the law is not a defense.

It's an interesting point.

Are politics involved adhere at all at all here, Brant?

I mean, Senator Menendez, of course, has been making a plea to President Trump, we presume, for a pardon.

How much are politics involved at this point?

Well, we have seen that.

Well, after the sentencing with Senator Menendez, of course, as you pointed out, he came out, he called this a witch hunt.

He said that President Trump was correct, that, the Southern District of New York, U.S. Attorney's office was corrupt and was just trying to pursue him.

And many interpreted that as a veiled, plea for, for a pardon from the president.

He also said on Twitter that these attorneys are cruel for pursuing his wife, as she's recovering from, breast cancer reconstruction surgery.

Now, this trial is expected to go until mid-May.

There's reams of evidence.

Phone calls, text messages, and, of course, cash and gold bars.

Brianna.

All right, Brendan, of course you will be there, hopefully on less rainy days.

Brenda Flanagan for us in Manhattan.

Thanks, Brenda.

Thank you.