PHILADELPHIA -- Sen. Robert Menendez may turn to the U.S. Supreme Court after a lower court Tuesday upheld an earlier decision to allow the bribery and corruption case against him to proceed, Politico.com reported.

In July, a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit rejected Menendez's claim that his constitutional rights as a U.S. senator had been violated. On Tuesday, the court declined to hold another hearing to review that decision.

Menendez, one of the state's two Democratic U.S. senators and a former Union City mayor, was indicted in April 2015 on charges he accepted hundreds of thousands in bribes to help a Florida ophthalmologist, Dr. Salomon Melgen, who is now Menendez's co-defendant.

Prosecutors allege that Menendez got involved in a multimillion-dollar billing dispute with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on behalf of Melgen, a longtime supporter of Menendez. Menendez is also accused of assisting on a port security contract in the Dominican Republic as well as obtaining visas for Melgen's girlfriends. In exchange, Menendez received nearly $1 million in contributions and gifts, authorities also said.

In a statement, Menendez's attorney maintained his client's innocence and said they were prepared to take his appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Justice Department is seeking a trial date in Newark as soon as possible, Politico also reported.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook.