WASHINGTON — Allies of former New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez have repeatedly approached the White House on his behalf since the fall to ask President Joe Biden if he would pardon him, according to four people familiar with the matter. Three people familiar with the matter said Menendez had given the impression that he would not receive a pardon from Biden and was now turning his attention to President-elect Donald Trump.

Two people with direct knowledge of Menendez's comments said Menendez told people close to him even before the November election that he might have a better chance of receiving clemency from Trump. In recent weeks, he has discussed with people close to him whether he would be more successful in dealing with Trump if he sought a reduced sentence rather than a full pardon, three people familiar with the matter said.

Menendez could face years in prison after being convicted on federal corruption charges in July, with federal prosecutors last week recommending at least 15 years in prison.

Menendez pleaded not guilty to the charges and resigned from the Senate in August. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 29. He is seeking a presidential pardon, underscoring the 71-year-old's concerns about spending a long time behind bars.

Biden and Menendez, both Democrats and former chairs of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, are not particularly close. Their relationship has been contentious at times, with disagreements on high-profile issues like Iran and, more recently, Biden's willingness to move closer to Republicans on immigration policy, which Menendez called "truly shameful."

Menendez and all Senate Democrats voted to convict Trump in both impeachment trials, a fact the president-elect is unlikely to forget easily, according to sources close to Trump. But the former senator suggested to people close to him that rejecting Biden's pardon might make Trump more inclined to grant him clemency, two people familiar with the matter said.

Menendez declined to comment.

Representatives for the White House and Trump's team did not respond to requests for comment.

Two people familiar with the matter said Steve Ricchetti, a longtime Biden adviser who serves as a presidential adviser in the White House, was among those approached about pardoning Menendez. Ricchetti was noncommittal, but Menendez concluded that Biden was unlikely to do so, they said.

Ricchetti declined to comment.

The former senator later tried to secure a pardon from Biden by reaching out through a third party to others close to the president, two people familiar with the matter said.

Menendez also used envoys to hold discussions with the Trump transition team, including Jewish leaders in New Jersey, two people familiar with the matter said. Menendez was a staunch advocate for Israel while in public office and leveraged his strong ties to the Garden State's Jewish community.

As part of her efforts to win clemency from Trump, Menendez studied Trump's 2020 decision to commute the sentence of former Illinois Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Blagojevich was found guilty of corruption charges related to soliciting bribes to influence his decision to fill a U.S. Senate seat after Barack Obama was elected president. In 2011, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

A jury convicted Menendez in July of accepting bribes, including cash and gold bars, to benefit the governments of Egypt and Qatar, as well as extortion, conspiracy, obstruction of justice and acting as a foreign agent.

Menendez's wife, Nadine Menendez, was also charged but has pleaded not guilty. She will be tried alone. After the jury's verdict, Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York who prosecuted the case, said, "The years-long practice of selling offices to higher bidders is finally over."

Trump and his allies have repeatedly claimed he was being prosecuted by a weaponized Justice Department, and two Menendez allies said the former senator could also use the Justice Department to curry favor with the president-elect, arguing that he too Prosecuted by a corrupt Justice Department. They said it could also be used as justification for Trump if he pardons Menendez.