Updated: 07/18/2024 07:40 AM EDT
Democratic Senator Bob Menendez (N.J.) was convicted Tuesday of all 16 criminal counts filed against him in federal court, including bribery, extortion, acting as a foreign agent for Egypt, and obstruction of justice. Despite the conviction, Senate Democrats so far seem unwilling to expel Menendez from the Senate, where they hold a slim 51-49 majority. Conflicting reports emerged Wednseday evening as to whether or not Menendez “told allies” that he would in fact resign.
At 5:41 p.m. EDT, NBC News reported that the senator “told allies that he will resign from Congress.” But approximately three hours later, Menendez refuted the report, telling CBS News, “I can tell you that I have not resigned nor have I spoken to any so called allies ... Seems to me that there is an effort to try to force me into a statement. Anyone who knows me knows that's the worst way to achieve a goal with me.”
According to prosecutors, the New Jersey senator accepted a series of bribes involving his wife and three New Jersey businessmen which included cash, gold bars, mortgage payments, a Mercedes-Benz convertible, and more. The FBI found over $486,000 in cash “stashed in places including jackets and shoes throughout his home.”
Prosecutors further detailed how, despite previous concerns about human rights, Menendez abandoned them and accepted bribes from Wael “Will” Hana in return for exerting his powerful influence as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for the benefit of Egypt. Some of the favors included helping to unfreeze $300 million in weapons and other military aid by ghostwriting a letter to persuade senators to ignore the country’s concerning human rights record. In addition, Menendez at one point “tipped off Egyptian officials to questions they would face from fellow senators about allegations they helped Saudi Arabia kill an American journalist.”
Following the announcement of the trial’s verdict, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) posted, “In light of this guilty verdict, Senator Menendez must now do what is right for his constituents, the Senate, and our country, and resign.” Menendez’s New Jersey counterpart in the Senate, Cory Booker (D), also called for his resignation.
However, Menendez appears not to be resigning and is currently seeking reelection as an Independent. Notably, no current Senate Democrats have called for him to be expelled.
In comments to The Washington Stand, Quena González, senior director of Government Affairs at Family Research Council, observed that despite Menendez’s conviction, Republicans still face long odds in gaining his Senate seat.
“With Menendez only polling at 3% in a three-way race, and 25% undecided, a win by Republican Curtis Bashaw would be a long shot, at this stage, in this Democrat bastion. It may, however, cause Democrats to spend money in New Jersey now that Senator Menendez can’t spend Egyptian bullion on a reelection campaign.”
González continued, “The fact that Senate Democrats won’t expel Senator Menendez lest their party majority be threatened is an indication that, for them, politics overwhelms integrity. When Speaker Mike Johnson [R-La.] was faced with lesser corruption charges against Rep. George Santos last year, he supported Santos’s expulsion despite already facing an historically divided House that could not pass several pieces of major legislation.”
“At the end of the day, each party has to decide what it stands for,” he concluded. “Voters should pay attention to what Senate Democrats are telling them.”
Menendez maintained his innocence throughout the trial, at one point claiming that he was being targeted by federal prosecutors because of his Cuban background and alleging that the $150,000 worth of gold bars found in his home belonged to his wife. He and his attorneys have stated they will appeal the conviction. Sentencing for the case is scheduled for October 29, where Menendez will likely face decades in prison.
Dan Hart is senior editor at The Washington Stand.
