Menendez To Resign As NJ Senator Tuesday, After Bribery Conviction

NEW JERSEY — It is the final day in office for convicted New Jersey senator Bob Menendez, who plans to resign by the end of the day Tuesday.

Menendez, 70, is in his third term as U.S. Senator. On July 16, a jury convicted the disgraced Democrat of bribery charges that could see him sentenced to decades in prison.

In a letter to Gov. Phil Murphy, Menendez said he still plans to appeal the jury's verdict, but said he did not "want the Senate to be involved in a lengthy process that will detract from its important work."

Murphy announced Menendez's impending resignation on July 23, and has already chosen his former chief of staff George Helmy as the temporary replacement for the Hudson County lawmaker.

Democratic Rep. Andy Kim and Republican hotel developer Curtis Bashaw will face off for Menendez's seat in the general election. Independent and third-party candidates include Christina Khalil (Green Party), Kenneth Kaplan (Libertarian Party), Joanne Kuniansky (Socialist Workers Party), and Patricia Mooneyham.

The senior Garden State senator was convicted on 16 charges in a federal bribery and corruption trial of accepting bribes (which included gold bars and cash), of using the power of his office to protect allies from prosecution, and acting as a foreign agent for Egypt for official actions to benefit Qatar and Egypt.

Menendez and co-defendants Wael Hana and Fred Daibes have reportedly asked the judge to throw the jury verdict out, with the senator seeking to avoid a lengthy prison term. As for now, his sentencing is set for Oct. 29.

He did not testify over the nine-week trial, and pleaded not guilty along with the two New Jersey businessmen that were also indicted in the case. Menendez has maintained his innocence, insisting publicly that he was only doing his job as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

For months, he also resisted calls from Democrats both within New Jersey and nationally to resign from the Senate — from politicians including Murphy, Sen. Cory Booker and Rep. Andy Kim, the Democratic nominee for Menendez's seat.

The resignation appears to mark the end of a nearly lifelong political career for Menendez, who was first elected to his local school board just a couple of years after his high school graduation. He was also elected to the state Legislature and Congress before heading to the Senate.

He is the only U.S. senator indicted twice, and his political career survived a previous bribery accusation when a jury deadlocked in 2017. Menendez had been charged with letting a wealthy Florida eye doctor buy his influence through luxury vacations and campaign contributions.

Menendez decided not to run in the Democratic primary this year as his court case was unfolding. He filed to run as an independent in the fall, though he withdrew his name from the ballot on Friday, according to a letter he sent to state election officials.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.