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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 24 July 2024
U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey is resigning from office

following his corruption conviction

By MIKE CATALINI and after high school graduation.
MARY CLARE JALONICK He’s held office at every
Associated Press level in his home state and
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — U.S. had vowed to run as an in-
Sen. Bob Menendez will dependent in November for
resign Aug. 20 following his a fourth term.
conviction for taking bribes The son of Cuban immigrants
for corrupt acts including and an attorney by training,
acting as an agent of the Menendez was a Union City,
Egyptian government, he New Jersey, school board
wrote in a letter to New Jer- member at age 20 — before
sey’s governor obtained by graduating from law school
The Associated Press. — and later became the
Menendez had insisted after mayor of the city, where he
the July 16 verdict that he still has deep connections.
was innocent and on Tues- His own biography says he
day in his letter promised to wanted to fight corruption
appeal “all the way,” includ- early in his political career,
ing to the Supreme Court, testifying against Union City
he wrote to fellow Demo- officials and building a repu-
crat, Gov. Phil Murphy. The Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., leaves federal court in New York, Tuesday, July 16, 2024. tation as tough. From there,
Associated Press
roughly monthlong delay in he was elected to the state
leaving gives his staff time Menendez used his influence before the election. started with him getting Assembly, then the state Sen-
for an orderly transition, to meddle in three different His resignation bookends a elected to his local school ate before heading to the
Menendez wrote. The date state and federal criminal in- career spent in politics that board just a couple of years U.S. House. q
also coincides with a Senate vestigations to protect his as-
payday. He did not mention sociates. They said he helped
the federal conviction in one bribe-paying friend get
the letter but cited his work a multimillion-dollar deal with
helping Superstorm Sandy a Qatari investment fund and
victims and getting transit another keep a contract to
funding, among other items provide religious certification
and addressed the gover- for meat bound for Egypt.
nor directly, reminding him He was also convicted of
that he had once praised taking actions that benefit-
Menendez before calling ed Egypt’s government in
for his resignation. exchange for bribes, includ-
“These successes led you, ing providing details on per-
Governor, to call me the sonnel at the U.S. embassy
‘Indispensable Senator,’” in Cairo, ghostwriting a letter
he wrote. to fellow senators regarding
The Senate received a copy lifting a hold on military aid
of Menendez’s resignation to Egypt. FBI agents found
letter, according to Sen. Pe- stacks of gold bars and
ter Welch of Vermont, who $480,000 in cash hidden in
was presiding in the chamber Menendez’s house.
on Tuesday. After his conviction, Menen-
The resignation gives Murphy dez denied all of those alle-
the ability to appoint some- gations, saying “I have never
one to the Senate for the been anything but a patriot
remainder of Menendez’s of my country and for my
term, which expires on Jan. country. I have never, ever
3. Murphy said in a statement been a foreign agent.”
Tuesday that he planned to But numerous fellow Demo-
exercise his power to appoint crats had urged him to re-
a temporary senator to fill sign, including Senate Major-
Menendez’s seat. He didn’t ity Leader Chuck Schumer.
say who that would be. Murphy had urged the Sen-
The seat was already up for ate to expel Menendez if he
election on Nov. 5. Demo- didn’t quit. Only 15 senators
crats have nominated U.S. have ever been expelled.
Rep. Andy Kim, who’s in a Sen. William Blount, of Ten-
strong position in the Demo- nessee, was ousted in 1797
cratic-leaning state. He faces for treason. The other 14 were
Republican Curtis Bashaw. expelled in 1861 and 1862
Menendez, 70, was con- for supporting Confederates
victed of charges that he during the Civil War.
sold the power of his office Menendez faces the possi-
to three New Jersey business- bility of decades in prison.
men who sought a variety A judge scheduled his sen-
of favors. Prosecutors said tencing on Oct. 29, a week