New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez has decided to defy the growing pressure from his fellow Democrats and has stated that he will not resign from his Senate seat, even in the face of federal corruption charges. The senator, who is currently serving his third term, made his intentions clear during a closed-door meeting with Senate Democrats on Thursday, according to West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin.
During the meeting, Menendez reportedly delivered an eloquent speech, affirming his plan to remain in his position. While most Democrats chose to keep the details of the meeting private, Menendez did not provide any indication of whether or not he would cooperate with a Senate ethics investigation. However, he did express his eagerness to continue casting votes.
Menendez's political support has crumbled since federal prosecutors charged him with receiving bribes such as gold bars, large sums of cash, and a luxury car in exchange for favorable treatment to three businessmen. It is alleged that these bribes were received around the same time that federal prosecutors dropped a previous corruption case against him in 2018, which ended in a hung jury.
Despite the charges and the loss of his chairmanship of the Foreign Relations Committee, Menendez has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has pledged to remain in office. Nevertheless, over half of Senate Democrats have called for his resignation. Notably, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has chosen not to demand Menendez's resignation, instead praising him as a dedicated public servant.
Menendez's decision to stay in the Senate poses a challenge for Democrats in their upcoming strategy for the 2022 elections, where they plan to use criminal indictments against former President Donald Trump and his allies as a key point of attack. Calls for Menendez's resignation came swiftly after the criminal charges were announced, with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and a few other Democrats urging him to step down. By Tuesday morning, many Senate Democrats, including his close ally Senator Cory Booker and Gary Peters, the leader of the party's Senate campaign arm, joined the chorus calling for his resignation. This puts Democrats in a difficult position as they aim to maintain a unified front ahead of the crucial elections next year.