After Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey was indicted on federal corruption charges on Friday, several top Democratic officials have called on him to resign, according to their public statements.
Menendez, the three-term senior senator from New Jersey, was charged with three counts related to bribery, fraud and extortion for lavish gifts he allegedly received — including cash, gold bullion and a luxury car — in exchange for using his political power to favor Egypt in U.S. policy decisions as well as intervene to thwart federal investigations of his affiliates.
After the indictment was announced on Friday, several high-ranking elected Democrats and party officials have called on Menendez to resign.
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1. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey
Murphy, the highest-ranking elected Democrat from the state, issued a statement saying that the charges against Menendez “implicate national security and the integrity of our criminal justice system.” While conceding that Menendez was innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, he claimed that the allegations meant Menendez was unable to represent the state in the Senate.
“[T]he alleged facts are so serious they compromise the ability of Senator Menendez to effectively represent the people of our state. Therefore, I am calling for his immediate resignation,” wrote Murphy in a statement.
Should Menendez resign, Murphy, as governor, would have the authority to name a replacement senator, who would serve until a special election is conducted. Menendez’s term would normally expire on January 3, 2025, and he had signaled that he would seek re-election to a fourth term in 2024.
2. New Jersey Democratic Party Chairman LeRoy Jones
Jones called on Menendez to resign after an emergency meeting of state party leaders on Friday, according to a report by Politico.
Explaining his demand, Jones said that Menendez’s resignation would “make sure that our party is able to keep its focus on the critical upcoming state legislative elections in November.”
3. New Jersey General Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin
Coughlin, who has served as speaker of the General Assembly since 2018 and is a Democrat from Middlesex County, said that Menendez’s alleged actions are “against everything we should believe as public servants” and called on him to resign, Politico reported.
“We are given the public’s trust, and once that trust is broken, we cannot continue,” he said.
4. Democratic Rep. Andy Kim of New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District
Kim, a three-term member of Congress and former national security official in the Obama administration, called on Menendez to resign from the Senate, writing that “[i]t doesn’t matter what your job title is or your politics — no one in America is above the law,” in a statement to The New Jersey Globe.
“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 should step down,” Kim wrote. “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.”
5. Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District
Sherrill, a three-term member of Congress and former assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, wrote that “there is no room for this kind of conduct in public service” on Twitter, now known as X. She demanded that Menendez resign.
“Today is a sad day for New Jersey and I believe it’s in the best interest of our state that Senator Menendez resign,” Sherrill wrote.
6. Former Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski of New Jersey
Malinowski, who served two terms in Congress representing the 7th district of New Jersey until 2023, wrote on Twitter that “as a moral matter, how can we ask Americans to vote against an indicted Trump, but for an indicted Democratic Senator, especially with evidence this damning?” He called on Menendez to leave office.
“I believe Senator Menendez should resign … the idea that the chairman of the SFRC may then have been in a corrupt relationship with Egypt is horrifying,” wrote Malinowski, who also served as assistant secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor during the Obama administration.
7. Democratic Rep. Dean Philips of Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District
Philips, who has served in Congress for three terms and attracted attention for calling on President Joe Biden to not seek re-election, said that he was “really disappointed” by the allegations and said that Menendez should step down from office, during an appearance on CNN’s Inside Politics.
“I am a Democrat, so is Senator Menendez, but based on what I have seen, I’m disappointed. Yes, I think he should resign,” Philips said. He added that “[indicted Republican Rep.] George Santos should have resigned already. Sadly, our House ethics process and the Senate as well is not as proficient as it needs to be, so we have to rely on the judicial system.”
Some members of Congress have spoken out in favor of Menendez following his indictment.
“Bob Menendez has been a dedicated public servant and is always fighting hard for the people of New Jersey. He has a right to due process and a fair trial,” wrote Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in an announcement that Menendez would temporarily relinquish his chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Additionally, his son, Democratic Rep. Robert Menendez, Jr. of New Jersey’s 8th Congressional District, wrote that he has “unwavering confidence in my (sic) father and his dedication to the New Jerseyans who he has relentlessly fought for in his long career,” according to the Hudson County View.
Menendez, Jr. added that he “look[s] forward to seeing him move past this distraction to continue fighting for our state in the United States Senate.”
Menendez, himself, released a statement, writing that “those who believe in justice believe in innocence until proven guilty. I intend to continue fighting for the people of New Jersey.” He added that “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.”
Menendez and Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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