‘I Will Be Exonerated’: Bob Menendez Defiant in First Public Appearance Since Bribery Indictment
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) made his first public comments on Monday since being indicted on federal bribery charges, saying he believes he “will be exonerated” and expects to remain the senior senator from New Jersey when the case is closed.
“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,” Menendez said during a press conference, in which he made clear he will not resign:
On Friday, the Southern District of New York brought charges against me. I understand how deeply concerning this can be. However, the allegations leveled against me are just that: allegations. For anyone who has known me throughout my 50 years of public service, they know I have always fought for what is right. My advocacy has always been grounded in what I learned from growing up as a son of Cuban refugees, especially my mom, my hero, Evangelina Menendez. Everything I’ve accomplished I’ve worked for. Despite the naysayers and everyone who has underestimated me, I recognize this will be the biggest fight yet. But as I have stated throughout 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.
Calls for Menendez to resign from the U.S. Senate are coming from his own party as well as Republicans, with many calling the evidence presented in the indictment hard to deny. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) was one of those Democrats, calling the charges “extremely serious,” and fellow Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) said Menendez is “entitled to the presumption of innocence under our system, but he is not entitled to continue to wield influence over national policy, especially given the serious and specific nature of the allegations.”
Menendez, who was charged along with his wife Nadine Menendez and three New Jersey businessmen, is alleged to have “promised to and did use his influence and power and breach his official duty in ways that benefited the Government of Egypt.” Another main focus of the charges is the accusation that Menendez accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, including in the form of blocks of gold, to use his power and influence to help one of the three businessmen in his own federal criminal case. Prosecutors presented their findings when they announced the indictment, including photos of the gold and the cash found literally lining a jacket with Menendez’s name on it.
In a statement immediately following the announcement of the indictment on Friday, Menendez denied the charges, saying, “The excesses of these prosecutors is apparent. They have misrepresented the normal work of a Congressional office.” He also argued that “the facts are not as presented. Prosecutors did that the last time and look what a trial demonstrates. … To my supporters, friends and the community at large, I ask that you recall the other times the prosecutors got it wrong and that you reserve judgment.”
Menendez temporarily stepped down from his position as Senate Foreign Relations chair while stating he has no plans to resign from the U.S. Senate.
Watch the clip above via CNN.
