Numerous Democratic lawmakers are calling on Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) to resign in light of his indictment, despite his stated intention to remain in office.

Reports indicate that at least 14 Democratic senators have appealed to Menendez, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to step down, Breitbart News reported.

His indictment, issued on Friday, alleges that he accepted “hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes” from businessmen in New Jersey, purportedly leveraging his position as a senator not only to “protect and enrich” these individuals but also to “benefit the Arab Republic of Egypt.”

Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) led the charge by urging Menendez to relinquish his position on Saturday.

As highlighted by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Fetterman emphasized that while the embattled senator is “entitled to the presumption of innocence within our legal system,” he should not retain the capacity to influence national policy, particularly given the gravity and specificity of the allegations.

Menendez on Monday claimed, “I have withdrawn thousands of dollars in cash from my personal savings account” over three decades that he “kept for emergencies.”

“Now, this may seem old-fashioned, but these were monies drawn from my personal savings account based on the income that I have lawfully derived over those 30 years,” he added. 

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), who represents the same home state as Menendez, has also joined the ranks of senators calling for the senior senator’s resignation.

He aligns with New Jersey’s highest-ranking statewide elected official, Governor Phil Murphy (D-NJ), who publicly called for Menendez to step down on Friday.

Written by staff