US Senator Bob Menendez resigns after corruption conviction

US Senator Bob Menendez submitted his resignation on July 23 following his conviction on corruption charges, including bribery and acting as an agent for Egypt's government.

This decision came after significant pressure from fellow Democrats to step down, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

"I will be resigning from my office as the United States Senator from New Jersey, effective on the close of business on Aug. 20, 2024," Menendez wrote in his resignation letter. "While I fully intend to appeal the jury's verdict, all the way and including to the Supreme Court, I do not want the Senate to be involved in a lengthy process that will detract from its important work," the letter added.

Democratic New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy will appoint Menendez's replacement. Menendez, who has represented New Jersey in the Senate since 2006 and served as chairman of the influential Foreign Relations Committee, stepped down from this post after being charged last year.

Murphy acknowledged receiving the resignation letter but did not provide details on when he would finalize the decision for Menendez's temporary replacement. A spokesperson for Murphy did not respond to requests for more information about the timing of the decision.

Menendez, 70, was found guilty on July 16 by a jury in Manhattan federal court on all 16 criminal counts, including obstruction of justice, wire fraud, and extortion, after a nine-week trial. Two co-defendants were also convicted.

The case involved bribery schemes where Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez, accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, gold bars, and car and mortgage payments from three businessmen. In return, Menendez allegedly steered billions of dollars in US aid to Egypt and tried to influence the criminal prosecutions of two of the businessmen, according to prosecutors. Menendez plans to appeal.

US District Judge Sidney Stein has set Menendez's sentencing for Oct. 29, a week before the Nov. 5 election in which he is running as an independent for another six-year term in the Senate, although his chances of winning are slim.

Menendez's resignation will temporarily reduce the Democratic majority in the Senate to 50-49 until Murphy's appointee is sworn in to complete Menendez's current term, which ends in January. Democratic US Representative Andy Kim is running for the seat in November and is favoured to win in Democratic-leaning New Jersey.