“Stepping down is not an admission of guilt but an acknowledgment that holding public office often demands tremendous sacrifices at great personal cost,' Booker said in a statement.
, to resign, four days after Menendez was indicted for allegedly accepting bribes.
“Stepping down is not an admission of guilt but an acknowledgment that holding public office often demands tremendous sacrifices at great personal cost. Senator Menendez has made these sacrifices in the past to serve. And in this case he must do so again. I believe stepping down is best for those Senator Menendez has spent his life serving,” Booker said in a statement.
Booker is the latest in a growing group of federal lawmakers pushing for Menendez to step down, but he is to this point the most significant voice to speak up. He has been close to Menendez since joining the Senate a decade ago and testified in his favor at his corruption trial in 2017, which ended in a hung jury.
Booker’s call may also clear the way for other senators to join his call and reach a critical mass of pressure on Menendez, who is up for reelection next year, to leave public office. Menendez, a fellow Democrat from New Jersey, and his wife were indicted on Friday for allegedly accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, gold bars, and mortgage payments as bribes. The bribes were allegedly used to influence his position as the chair of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee to benefit the government of Egypt.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Sen. Cory Booker calls for Sen. Bob Menendez’s resignationNew Jersey Sen. Cory Booker has joined the group of Democratic Senators calling for Sen. Bob Menendez' resignation following his federal indictment on bribery charges last week.
Read more »
Sen. Booker calls on embattled Sen. Menendez to resign after 2nd indictmentBooker, who serves as New Jersey's junior senator, has worked alongside Menendez for nearly a decade.
Read more »