Sen. Menendez Must Resign Immediately, Say NJ Officials After Verdict In Bribery Trial

NEW JERSEY — Officials around New Jersey had harsh words for U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez on Tuesday after he was convicted in a federal bribery trial, and they called on him to resign.

The senator was accused of accepting bribes including cash and gold from an Egyptian businessman and others, and using the power of his office to protect allies from prosecution. He was convicted of 16 charges.

But Menendez remained defiant on Tuesday, saying he's innocent of the charges.

“I have never violated my public oath," the senator said Tuesday. "I have never been anything but a patriot of my country and for my country. I have never, ever been a foreign agent." READ MORE: After Conviction, Sen. Menendez Remains Defiant: 'Never Been Anything But A Patriot'

The state's other senator, Cory Booker, said Tuesday, "Representing people in Congress demands the public's trust. This verdict means that a jury of Senator Menendez’s peers, sworn to be impartial, reviewed the evidence and unanimously concluded beyond a reasonable doubt that he had broken the law. I call on Senator Menendez to resign."

Gov. Phil Murphy was among officials saying Menendez should either resign or be expelled from office.

"Today's verdict finding Senator Bob Menendez guilty on 16 counts demonstrates that the Senator broke the law, violated the trust of his constituents, and betrayed his oath of office," he said.

U.S. Attorney General Matthew Platkin said the verdict showed faith in the justice system and the officials sworn to enforce it — in a statement that may have been about more than just one official.

"The jury’s verdict also serves to underscore the importance of prosecutor’s offices — like the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District — who have the difficult but critical job of holding powerful people who abuse the public’s trust accountable for their misconduct," Platkin said. "In my office, as in offices like it across the nation, we will never rest in our effort to hold power to account and restore faith in our government officials and institutions."

One lawmaker was concerned about the senator's access to classified documents.

"Following this extremely serious verdict, I once again call on Senator Menendez to immediately resign and for his access to classified national security information to be revoked. If he refuses to resign from the Senate, he should be expelled," said Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a Naval veteran.

And a North Jersey mayor had harsher words for the senator, calling him "nothing short of a corrupt agent of a foreign government, shamelessly pocketing bribes to enrich himself."

In March, Menendez said he believed he would be exonerated of the charges. He said in a video that he might run for re-election as an independent this November, rather than seeking the Democratic nomination for his seat, which ultimately went to Rep. Andy Kim.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, a federal judge postponed Menendez's wife Nadine's trial on the same charges indefinitely.

Nadine Menendez is being treated for breast cancer, Sen. Menendez's campaign revealed in May.

Read about the indictments against Menendez and his wife here.

Patch Editor Michele Rotuno-Johnson contributed to this story.