JUST IN: Robert Menendez Reportedly Resigning From the Senate

AP Photo/Larry Neumeister

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) will reportedly resign from the U.S. Senate on August 20 after being found guilty on felony charges including bribery and acting as a foreign agent while serving as a public official.

An early report came from Tyler Pager, White House reporter for The Washington Post:

Sen. Bob Menendez will resign his Senate seat, effective Aug. 20, his staff were told today, per two sources

— Tyler Pager (@tylerpager) July 23, 2024

The New Jersey Globe also reported: “Three sources with knowledge of his plans said that a letter of resignation could come as early as today.”

Menendez apparently told allies after his July 16 conviction that he was considering the possibility of resigning, though he put on a defiant front after leaving the courthouse following the verdict being handed down. He previously refused to resign after several Senate colleagues asked him to do so, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ).

Menendez was convicted on 16 felony counts after being indicted on a “years-long bribery scheme.”
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said at the time: “As the grand jury charged, between 2018 and 2022, Senator Menendez and his wife engaged in a corrupt relationship with Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, and Fred Daibes – three New Jersey businessmen who collectively paid hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes, including cash, gold, a Mercedes Benz, and other things of value – in exchange for Senator Menendez agreeing to use his power and influence to protect and enrich those businessmen and to benefit the Government of Egypt.”

This story has been updated.