WASHINGTON ― Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday called on Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) to resign, minutes after his longtime Democratic colleague was found guilty on federal corruption charges.
“In light of this guilty verdict, Senator Menendez must now do what is right for his constituents, the Senate, and our country, and resign,” Schumer said in a statement.
Menendez, who previously served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was found guilty of accepting bribes of gold and cash from New Jersey businessmen and acting at the behest of the Egyptian government. The jury found him guilty on all 16 felony counts, including extortion and acting as a foreign agent.
Emerging from the courthouse shortly after the verdict, Menendez appeared defiant and vowed to appeal the verdict.
“Obviously, I’m deeply, deeply disappointed by the jury’s decision,” the three-term senator said in brief remarks to the press. “I have every faith that the law and facts were not sustained in that decision, and that we will be successful upon appeal.”
“I have never violated my public oath. I have never been anything but a patriot of my country and for my country,” he said. “I have never, ever been a foreign agent.”
Other prominent Democrats were quick to re-up their past calls for Menendez’s resignation after the jury’s verdict, which came after a nine-week trial in which prosecutors said the New Jersey senator abused the power of his office to enrich himself and his wife while shielding allies from criminal probes.
“I reiterate my call for Senator Menendez to resign immediately after being found guilty of endangering national security and the integrity of our criminal justice system,” New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement.
“If he refuses to vacate his office, I call on the U.S. Senate to vote to expel him,” said the governor.
“This is a sad day for the Garden State,” said Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.). “Following this extremely serious verdict, I once again call on Senator Menendez to immediately resign and for his access to classified national security information to be revoked.”
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the president pro tem of the Senate, said she’s been calling on Menendez to go for nearly a year.
“Now that he’s been found guilty on all counts, I strongly reiterate my call for him to step down,” Murray said. “No one is above the law — it’s pretty straightforward.”
She took a jab at the GOP for choosing to overlook Donald Trump’s criminal acts.
“Now if only my Republican colleagues would apply the same standards to the convicted felon who is running for president of the United States as their nominee,” she said.
Earlier Tuesday, fellow New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker said his “heart aches” over Menendez’s trial.
“I did call on him to resign,” Booker said on MSNBC. “You know, this is a person I’ve served with for 10 years. The things he’s accused of, I have seen — not seen in my — my working with him. He’s now before a jury of his peers. I’m watching it very closely.”
“I think it’s a sad and sobering day for New Jerseyans to see their senior senator under this kind of criminal indictment,” he said.