New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy calls on Sen. Robert Menendez to resign in wake of indictment

Washington — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy called on Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez to resign following his indictment on federal bribery charges Friday, joining a growing chorus of fellow Democrats calling for the senator to step aside.

Murphy called the allegations contained in the indictment "deeply disturbing" and said they "implicate national security and the integrity of our criminal justice system." 

"Under our legal system, Senator Menendez and the other defendants have not been found guilty and will have the ability to present evidence disputing these charges, and we must respect the process," Murphy said in a statement. "However, the alleged facts are so serious that they compromise the ability of Senator Menendez to effectively represent the people of our state. Therefore, I am calling for his immediate resignation."

Menendez responded to the calls for him to step down with a statement Friday evening, saying: "I am not going anywhere."

"Those who believe in justice believe in innocence until proven guilty," Menendez said. "I intend to continue to fight for the people of New Jersey with the same success I've had for the past five decades. This is the same record of success these very same leaders have lauded all along. It is not lost on me how quickly some are rushing to judge a Latino and push him out of his seat."

What is Menendez charged with?

The longtime Democratic senator is accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of bribes in exchange for using his power and influence to enrich and protect three New Jersey businessmen and benefit Egypt's government through the approval of arms sales. 

Menendez is charged along with his wife Nadine Menendez and the businessmen, identified in court papers as Wael Hana, Jose Uribe and Fred Daibes. The senator and his wife face one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right. The three New Jersey associates face two counts. All of the defendants are expected to appear in federal court in Manhattan next week for the first time.

Prosecutors said federal agents found more than $480,000 in cash during a search of the Menendezes' home in June 2022, "much of it stuffed into envelopes and hidden in clothing, closets, and a safe," as well as over $70,000 in a safe deposit box belonging to Nadine Menendez. They also found gold bars worth more than $100,000, according to the indictment.

The bribes also allegedly included mortgage payments, compensation for a "low-or-no-show-job," a luxury vehicle and "other things of value," according to the charging document.

Menendez vehemently denied the charges in an earlier statement Friday, calling them "baseless" and saying they are part of an "active smear campaign of anonymous sources and innuendos to create an air of impropriety where none exists."

More New Jersey Democrats call on Menendez to resign

Several Democratic members of New Jersey's congressional delegation joined Murphy in calling for Menendez to step aside in the wake of the indictment.

Rep. Andy Kim, who represents the state's 3rd Congressional District, was the first member to do so, calling the allegations "serious and alarming."

"It doesn't matter what your job title is or your politics — no one in America is above the law. The people of New Jersey absolutely need to know the truth of what happened, and I hope the judicial system works thoroughly and quickly to bring this truth to light," Kim said in a statement. "In the meantime, I don't have confidence that the Senator has the ability to properly focus on our state and its people while addressing such a significant legal matter. He should step down."

Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a former federal prosecutor, likewise said Menendez should resign as the legal process plays out.

"These are serious allegations against Senator Menendez and if proven true, there is no room for this kind of conduct in public service," Sherrill said. "Today is a sad day for New Jersey and I believe it's in the best interest of our state that Senator Menendez resign."

Menendez relinquished his post as the powerful chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee earlier Friday, as required under the rules of the Senate Democratic Caucus. But he gave no indication that he planned to resign his Senate seat in his earlier statement, instead vowing to "remain focused on continuing this important work" and saying he "will not be distracted by baseless allegations."

Other prominent Democrats declined to call for Menendez to resign, most notably Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The New York Democrat called Menendez "a dedicated public servant" and said he "has a right to due process and a fair trial." Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin likewise said the legal process should be allowed to "move forward without prejudice." 

"Senator Menendez has a right to respond aggressively in court to the current charges, and I am confident that he will do so," Cardin said.

Menendez was indicted once before in 2015 on roughly a dozen charges, including bribery and conspiracy, following accusations he accepted gifts from a wealthy Democratic donor in exchange for political favors. That case ended in a mistrial after jurors were unable to reach a verdict after deliberating for more than a week.