(IntegrityPress.org) – Sources close to Senator Bob Menendez (D – N.J.) claim that he has decided to resign from the U.S. Senate following the return of a guilty verdict against him in his federal corruption trial. Menendez was found guilty on July 15 of 16 counts relating to bribery and corruption. He will be sentenced on October 29, although he has vowed to appeal the verdict and continues to claim that he did not break his “public oath.” Despite these claims, Menendez himself has given no indication he intends to step down.
Menendez was tried alongside businessmen Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, both of whom were also found guilty. His wife, Nadine, has also been charged but will not be made to stand trial until she has completed her current treatment for breast cancer.
The prosecution told the jury that Menendez had abused his power and connections for years to receive lavish gifts and payment in gold bars and cash. According to prosecutors, Menendez and his wife received gifts, including a Mercedez-Benz car, in exchange for Menendez using his Senatorial role to assist the Qatari and Egyptian governments.
He was also accused of abusing his power to make lawsuits against Daibes and another businessman, Jose Uribe, disappear. In March, Uribe pleaded guilty to charges relating to the case after he confessed to bribing Menendez.
Throughout the trial, Menendez has faced calls from both Republicans and Democrats to stand down. He refused to do so for many months but appears to have changed his mind following the guilty verdict and growing calls to expel him from the Senate. Despite this apparent concession, he remains resolute that he will be exonerated on appeal. Should he successfully appeal his verdict, he intends to run for his former seat as an independent candidate.
On Monday, July 22, the Senate Ethics Committee announced they have voted unanimously to review Menendez’s alleged violations of Senate rules. The investigation could lead to a recommendation to have the Senator censured or expelled.
Currently, voters in New Jersey can expect a battle between Republican Curtis Bagshaw and Democrat Rep. Andy Kim. They are set to stand in the November elections, with the successful candidate taking Menendez’s mantle in January 2025, when his term is due to end. As an interim measure, Democrat New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy will appoint a caretaker senator.
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