In the wake of a string of criminal corruption charges, US Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) is facing quickly growing pressure to resign from both his Senate colleagues and the public at large.
In 2015, Sen. Menendez was indicted on 14 counts, including conspiracy to commit bribery and interference with interstate commerce by fraud. His trial began on September 6, 2017 and ended with a mistrial on November 16, 2017, after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict.
Despite the mistrial and lack of a conviction, a growing number of his Senate colleagues are now calling on the New Jersey Democrat to step down.
The first such call came from Senator John McCain (R-AZ), who said that “I think it would be beneficial for him step aside.”
Other prominent Senators, including Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Al Franken (D-MN), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) have since echoed McCain’s sentiment.
Public opinion has also weighed in heavily on the side of Menendez’s resignation. Several polls conducted by the New Jersey Globe have found that the majority of New Jersey voters believe Menendez should resign immediately.
With the chorus of demand for his resignation increasing with each passing day, Sen. Menendez is likely aware that he faces an uphill battle in the wake of his mistrial. This, however, has not stopped him from rebuffing calls to resign and expressing his intention to face re-election next fall.
For now, the issue remains unresolved. Yet with the mounting pressure from both his Senate colleagues and the public, the future of Senator Bob Menendez remains in a state of uncertain limbo.
“Sen. Bob Menendez: Calls from Colleagues Growing for Resignation
