Menendez resigns from Senate after bribery conviction

Bob Menendez's resignation from the U.S. Senate became official Tuesday, following his July conviction on bribery charges.

As BBC reports, the New Jersey Democrat was found guilty of 16 counts related to accepting bribes—including gold bars and a Mercedes-Benz—in exchange for assisting the governments of Qatar and Egypt.

Facing a potentially lengthy prison sentence at his October sentencing, the 70-year-old senator has maintained his innocence and vowed to appeal. Menendez initially resisted calls to step down and remained on the ballot for re-election until last week. However, in a resignation letter to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy last month, he announced his decision to resign, effective Tuesday, to avoid becoming a distraction.

“I do not want the Senate to be involved in a lengthy process that will detract from its important work,” Menendez wrote.

Governor Murphy, also a Democrat, is expected to appoint his former chief of staff, George Samir Helmy, to temporarily fill the Senate seat until a replacement is elected in November.

On Monday, Menendez filed a 30-page motion asking a federal judge to overturn his conviction, arguing that the evidence was insufficient to support the guilty verdict. The motion stated, “If sustained on such a surprisingly thin reed of evidence, these convictions will make terrible, dangerous law. All of Senator Menendez’s convictions must be reversed.”

Menendez, who was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1993 and later appointed to the Senate in 2006, faced a nine-week trial this year. Prosecutors revealed that FBI agents discovered more than $480,000 in cash, along with gold bars worth over $100,000, hidden in his home. The defense argued that the gifts did not qualify as bribes, as there was no proof Menendez took specific actions in exchange.

Menendez’s wife, Nadine Arslanian Menendez, also faces bribery charges, but her trial was postponed due to breast cancer treatment. She has pleaded not guilty.

[Information sourced from BBC]