Josh Gerstein for Politico:

Sen. Bob Menendez is asking the Supreme Court to consider his argument that federal bribery charges he is facing impermissibly intrude into a legislative activity protected by the Constitution’s speech-or-debate clause.

In a petition submitted to the high court this week, attorneys for the New Jersey Democrat argue that a federal appeals court improperly insisted that he needed to prove his motives were “pure” when he took actions that benefited friend, campaign donor and ophthalmologist Salomon Melgen.

Notable that Paul Clement is on the brief, along with Abbe Lowell.