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Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) will resign from the Senate next month after being found guilty in a federal corruption trial for accepting bribes. Menendez, who has close ties to the Greek and Armenian lobbies in the U.S., is known for his longstanding anti-Türkiye stance.
Menendez's resignation will prevent Senate Democrats from having to expel one of their own, maintaining party unity.
The veteran New Jersey lawmaker plans to resign effective Aug. 20. Senate Democrats had threatened to vote him out of Congress if he did not step down.
While I fully intend to appeal the jury's verdict, I do not want the Senate to be involved in a lengthy process that will detract from its important work
Bob Menendez
Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy will appoint a replacement for Menendez. Murphy acknowledged receiving the resignation letter but did not specify when a decision for a temporary replacement would be finalized.
Menendez faced massive pressure from his party to resign after his conviction on federal bribery charges. He was found guilty of accepting "hundreds of thousands of dollars" in bribes to benefit foreign governments, including acting as an agent for Egypt.
Menendez and his wife, Nadine, were charged with conspiracy to commit bribery, honest services fraud, and extortion under color of official right. This follows his previous indictment on unrelated federal bribery and corruption charges in 2015, which ended in a mistrial in 2017.
Menendez's longstanding anti-Türkiye stance has also been questioned due to his close ties to the Greek and Armenian lobbies in the U.S. These financially powerful groups have considerable political clout and have influenced Menendez's positions over the years.
Menendez's anti-Türkiye rhetoric extended to various aspects, including military, historical, and regional conflicts. He consistently opposed Türkiye's actions and supported Armenian and Greek positions.
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