WASHINGTON — Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., has told allies he will resign after his conviction in Congress. federal corruption charges, Two people with direct knowledge of the conversations spoke to NBC News.
In front of Menendez, who has been challenging for months calls The resignations of dozens of Senate Democrats appear to have finally given up after the guilty verdicts and threats to oust him mount if he refuses. He is urging allies to notify him of his intention to resign, which sources said will end a three-decade career that has included powerful congressional committee chairmanships, major legislation-writing and two criminal convictions on corruption allegations.
Those calling for his resignation include Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Patient; and Menendez’s friend and New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker.
“In light of this guilty verdict, Senator Menendez must now do the right thing for his constituents, the Senate and our country and resign,” Schumer said in a statement after Menendez’s latest corruption trial ended in guilty verdicts.
Menendez did not respond to requests for comment. He said after this story was published CBS New York that he no longer resigned, “and I have not spoken to any so-called allies.”
A senator was convicted Tuesday of 16 federal charges related to using official power to enrich three New Jersey businessmen and benefit the governments of Egypt and Qatar. In return, the couple received large sums of bribes, including “cash, gold bars, home mortgage payments, compensation for poor or no work, a luxury car and other items of value,” prosecutors said.
If Menendez resigns, the governor of New Jersey was Phil Murphy among the early Democrats Calling Menendez to resign would appoint a senator to temporarily finish his term, which expires in January 2025.
Menendez’s Senate seat is contested in the November general election by Democratic Rep. Andy Kim and Republican Curtis Bashaw. Menendez had filed to run as an independent candidate and said he would continue to campaign if acquitted.
Menendez’s political career dates back nearly four decades to the mid-1980s, when he was mayor of Union City. He served 13 years in the House of Representatives before finally rising to the Senate in 2006. He served twice as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, leaving this position after the indictment last year. But he remained a voting member of the panel and the full Senate, even though he was accused of abusing his power to benefit foreign governments.
Menendez and his wife, Nadine, were charged in September with conspiracy to commit bribery, honest services fraud and extortion. preliminary indictment against him.
He was indicted a few weeks later replaces the indictment by conspiracy to accept bribes from a foreign government and to act as a foreign agent. The indictment alleges that Menendez “provided sensitive information to the United States government and took other steps to covertly assist the Egyptian government.”
Menendez has denied the charges against him, saying he faces an “active smear campaign” and that prosecutors “misrepresented the normal business of a congressional office.” He said that he will file an appeal against his verdict.
In a public appearance in September, he said the $480,000 investigators found stashed in envelopes hidden around his home was money he had saved for decades to use “for emergencies.”
Menendez was also indicted in 2015 federal corruption charges It stems from allegations that he accepted favors from a wealthy Florida optometrist, including travel, lodging and political contributions. The case ended with a mistrial then the judges could not reach a unanimous decision. Prosecutors in 2018 he chose not to try again After the judge oversaw the case, Menendez threw out some of the original counts.
According to data compiled by the Senate Historical Bureau, Menendez is the first senator in U.S. history to be charged with two unrelated crimes.
Menendez, the son of Cuban immigrants, was one of the most prominent advocates of the Senate’s immigration overhaul and co-authored the bipartisan “Gang of 8” immigration bill that passed the Senate in 2013 and died in the House. Last year he presented a framework reforming immigration programs that include creating new pathways to citizenship amid ongoing concerns. the number of migrants transitions along the southern border.
Other possible implications for Menendez, the Senate unanimously last year passed Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev. and Rick Scott, R-Fla. A bill called the NO TO CORRUPTION Act, written by The bill still has to pass the House.
By pushing Menendez, Democrats see an opportunity to antagonize voters by portraying themselves as the party that does not support convicted felons serving in high office. The week the GOP nominated Donald Trump for president.
“Senator Menendez has violated the public’s trust and is no longer able to serve effectively in the United States Senate,” said Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., chairman of the Democratic Senate campaign group. “I hope it will come to nothing, but if he refuses to do the right thing and resign immediately, I support the Senate moving to remove him from office.”