Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) defiantly rejected calls from a growing list of Democrats wanting him to resign after he and his wife were indicted on federal bribery charges on Friday.
“Those who believe in justice believe in innocence until proven guilty,” Menendez said in a statement late Friday. “I intend to continue to fight for the people of New Jersey with the same success I’ve had for the past five decades. This is the same record of success these very same leaders have lauded all along.”
“It is not lost on me how quickly some are rushing to judge a Latino and push him out of his seat. I am not going anywhere,” he added.
Prosecutors allege that Menendez and his wife accepted “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in bribes to assist a group of New Jersey businessmen and interests in Egypt. The FBI found nearly $500,000 in cash and more than $100,000 in gold at Menendez’s home in a raid last year, allegedly payment for the bribes.
He previously denied the allegations, calling them a “smear campaign.” The senator stepped down from his seat as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee later Friday.
Over a half dozen notable New Jersey Democrats, including Gov. Phil Murphy, have called on the senator to resign.
“The allegations in the indictment against Senator Menendez and four other defendants are deeply disturbing. These are serious charges that implicate national security and the integrity of our criminal justice system,” Murphy said in a statement.
The governor emphasized that Menendez is innocent until proven guilty, but that the gravity of the charges alone hurts his ability to do his job.
“However, the alleged facts are so serious that they compromise the ability of Senator Menendez to effectively represent the people of our state. Therefore, I am calling for his immediate resignation,” he continued.
Murphy would select Menendez’s replacement if he were to resign. Menendez’s current term ends in January 2025.
Others calling for Menendez’s resignation include Reps. Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) and Jeff Jackson (D-N.C.).
“These allegations are serious and alarming. It doesn’t matter what your job title is or your politics — no one in America is above the law,” Kim said in a statement to The Hill. “The people of New Jersey absolutely need to know the truth of what happened, and I hope the judicial system works thoroughly and quickly to bring this truth to light.”
“In the meantime, I don’t have confidence that the Senator has the ability to properly focus on our state and its people while addressing such a significant legal matter,” he continued. “He should step down.”