Senate Democrats (Including Cory Booker) Flood the ‘Menendez Should Resign’ Bandwagon: He’s ‘Broken the Public Trust’
AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
As Bob Menendez (D-NJ) intends to challenge his new bribery allegations, more of his Democratic colleagues in the U.S. Senate are now saying he ought to resign in light of his troubles.
Menendez was indicted on federal corruption charges last week over a bribery scheme allegedly involving him, his wife, and three New Jersey businessmen. The indictment claims Menendez accepted cash and gifts to advance the Egyptian government’s interests, and that he also advanced the interests of his business associates.
The senator denied any wrongdoings on Monday, and he signaled that he won’t resign — despite numerous Congressional Demcorats urging him to do so. Meanwhile, the list of Democratic senators calling for Menendez to step down continues to grow.
Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) was the first to make the call, saying days ago that Menendez is “entitled to the presumption of innocence, but he cannot continue to wield influence over national policy, especially given the serious and specific nature of the allegations. I hope he chooses an honorable exit and focuses on his trial.”
On Monday night and Tuesday morning, Democratic Senators Peter Welch (VT), Tammy Baldwin (WI), Sherrod Brown (OH), Jon Tester (MT), Bob Casey (PA), Martin Heinrich (NM), Jacky Rosen (NV), and Elizabeth Warren (MA) all put forth statements calling for Menendez’s resignation — arguing he has “broken the public trust.”
Perhaps most notably, Menendez’s fellow Democratic New Jersey Senator, Cory Booker, now says it would be best for Menendez to step down.
So far, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and the White House have declined to call for Menendez’s resignation.
——
