Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) on Monday batted away calls from fellow Democrats for him to resign while acknowledging the multi-faceted challenges he faces after being indicted on federal bribery charges.
“I recognize that this will be the biggest fight yet,” Menendez said during a press conference in New Jersey. “But as I have stated through this whole process, I firmly believe that when all the facts are presented, not only will I be exonerated, but I still will be New Jersey’s senior senator.”
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) — as well as several members of Congress — have called for Menendez’s resignation. Murphy said Friday “the alleged facts are so serious that they compromise the ability of Senator Menendez to effectively represent the people of our state.”
One Democrat calling for Menendez to step aside is Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.), who announced over the weekend that he would launch a primary challenge against Menendez for his Senate seat.
Menendez noted Monday that this isn’t his first legal challenge — he faced corruption charges in 2015 that were dropped in 2018 — and criticized those who he said have already come to a conclusion about the current charges.
“Remember, prosecutors get it wrong sometimes. Sadly, I know that. Instead of waiting for all the facts to be presented, others have rushed to judgment, because they see a political opportunity for themselves or those around them,” he said.
