U.S. Senator Bob Menendez resigned on Tuesday within the aftermath of his conviction on corruption expenses together with bribery and performing as an agent for Egypt’s authorities, bowing to stress from fellow Democrats to surrender the job.
Democratic New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy will appoint a alternative for Menendez, who has represented New Jersey within the Senate since 2006 and served as chairman of the influential Foreign Relations Committee earlier than giving up that submit after being charged final yr.
Menendez, 70, was discovered responsible on July 16 by a jury in Manhattan federal courtroom on all 16 felony counts he confronted – additionally together with obstruction of justice, wire fraud and extortion – after a nine-week trial. Two co-defendants additionally had been convicted.
Menendez’s resignation letter was learn out loud on the Senate flooring.
The case centered on what prosecutors referred to as bribery schemes through which the senator and his spouse Nadine Menendez accepted a whole lot of hundreds of {dollars} in money, gold bars and automotive and mortgage funds from three businessmen. In change, Menendez steered billions of {dollars} in U.S. help to Egypt, and tried to affect the felony prosecutions of two of the businessmen, prosecutors stated. Menendez plans to attraction.
U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein has set Menendez’s sentencing for Oct. 29, every week earlier than the Nov. 5 election through which he’s operating as an unbiased in a bid for an additional six-year time period within the Senate, however is taken into account an extended shot to win.
Menendez’s resignation will quickly scale back the Democratic majority within the Senate to 50-49 till Murphy’s appointee is sworn in to complete what stays of Menendez’s present six-year time period, which ends in January. Democratic U.S. Representative Andy Kim is operating for the seat in November and is favored to win in Democratic-leaning New Jersey.
Numerous Democrats had referred to as for Menendez to resign, together with Murphy, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Cory Booker, New Jersey’s different senator.
The trial was Menendez’s second, after a 2017 trial ended when the jury couldn’t attain a unanimous verdict. Menendez then was censured by the Senate ethics committee for accepting items from a rich longtime buddy in change for official favors.
Menendez was first appointed to his Senate seat in 2006, after serving 13 years within the U.S. House of Representatives. He then received election 3 times to the Senate. He earlier served within the New Jersey legislature and as a mayor.
For a long time he has been a forceful voice on American overseas relations, most lately advocating for extra help to Ukraine and Israel as Democratic President Joe Biden pushed Congress to allocate extra money to overseas allies embroiled in conflicts.
U.S. Representative Rob Menendez, the senator’s son, continues to symbolize a New Jersey congressional district throughout the Hudson River from New York City, much like the district his father beforehand represented.
Source: www.anews.com.tr