Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), the chairman of the Senate Democrats’ campaign arm, joined the growing chorus in the party who are calling for Sen. Bob Menendez’s (D-N.J.) resignation following his indictment on federal bribery and corruption charges.
“As elected officials, the public entrusts us to serve in their best interests and in the best interests of our country,” Peters said in a statement on Tuesday. “While Senator Menendez deserves to have a fair legal process, given the serious nature of these charges and how they have undermined the public’s faith, he is no longer able to serve effectively in the U.S. Senate.”
“I urge Senator Menendez to resign,” Peters added.
The statement from Peters is notable given he leads the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), which prioritizes protecting incumbents. Menendez is up for reelection in 2024, and it’s not yet clear whether he’ll seek reelection after he and his wife were indicted last week.
The New Jersey couple face federal charges in connection with their alleged use of the senator’s connections to aid several businessmen in the Garden State as well as the country of Egypt while receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in return.
Menendez has vowed not to step down amid the rising calls from Democrats in his state and in Washington to resign. Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) has already announced he’s running for Menendez’s seat next year, while New Jersey first lady Tammy Murphy could be another potential challenger.