Convicted felon and New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez will resign from the Senate on Aug. 20 — a date that will likely ensure he gets to collect one final taxpayer-funded paycheck on his way out the door.
Menendez, 70, revealed his intention to resign in a letter to the New Jersey governor’s office Tuesday.
The disgraced senator, who was convicted last week of trading the power of his office for lucrative bribes, set his last day as Aug. 20.
Senate paydays usually take place on the 5th and 20th of each month, which means that Menendez will likely take home another chunk of his $174,000 annual salary from Uncle Sam before quitting.
Menendez didn’t mention that fact in his letter, only saying he chose the date because “this will give time for my staff to transition to other possibilities, transfer constituent files that are pending, allow for an orderly process to choose an interim replacement, and for me to close out my Senate affairs.
“While I fully intend to appeal the jury’s verdict, all the way and including to the Supreme Court, I do not want the Senate to be involved in a lengthy process that will detract from its important work,” Menendez said.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement, “Today, I received a letter from Senator Bob Menendez informing me of his intention to resign effective August 20, 2024.
The senator was convicted in a bribery case last week. AP“I will exercise my duty to make a temporary appointment to the United States Senate to ensure the people of New Jersey have the representation they deserve,” Murphy said.
A deluge of Democrats had publicly demanded that Menendez step aside as he battled bribery allegations — and those calls only grew louder after a jury found him guilty on 16 counts for using his political perch to benefit Egypt, Qatar and three of his wealthy pals in exchange for piles of cash, gold bars and other gifts.
But even after his conviction, Menendez continued to profess his innocence and refused to say he would step aside while vowing that he would forge ahead with an appeal. The three-term Democrat is facing up to decades in jail, with sentencing slated for Oct. 29.
After his conviction, Sen. Bob Menendez continued to claim he is innocent and will appeal. Brigitte StelzerThen rumors swirled that Menendez would bow out of the Senate, where he is out of allies. Even Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) publicly urged him to resign after his conviction.
That’s despite the Democrats’ slim 51-49 majority in the upper chamber. Murphy, a Democrat, will replace Menendez for the remainder of the term.
Initially, the scandal-scarred senator slapped down talk of him resigning.
“I can tell you that I have not resigned nor have I spoken to any so-called allies,” Menendez told CBS News on Wednesday. “Seems to me that there is an effort to try to force me into a statement. Anyone who knows me knows that’s the worst way to achieve a goal with me.”
Earlier this month, he said he secured the necessary signatures to mount an independent bid for the Senate.
Menendez announced in March that he would not pursue re-election as a Democrat amid the bribery case against him.
Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ) has since clinched the party’s nomination for the seat this cycle. He is the overwhelming favorite to win that seat, which has long been held by Democrats.
Menendez announced in March that he would not seek re-election as his bribery case heated up. APPolls had pegged Menendez as terminally underwater if he attempted to defend his seat come Nov. 5.
Still, the senator’s son, Rep. Rob Menendez (D-NJ), managed to survive a competitive primary last month, despite baggage from his father.
The elder Menendez had been a top voice on foreign policy in the upper chamber, but he was pressured into stepping down from the powerful Senate Committee on Foreign Relations last year due to the indictment.
Poll results indicated Menendez was terminally underwater if he tried to defend his seat in Senate. Getty ImagesSpecifically, Menendez was found guilty of utilizing his political power to gain gifts such as cash, 1-kilogram gold bars, a Mercedes-Benz convertible and more in exchange for favors.
He denied those allegations.
Co-defendants in the case included his wife Nadine, 57, businessman Wael Hana, 40, and businessman Fred Daibes, 66. Both men were also convicted of padding Menendez’s pockets in exchange for benefits.
Co-defendants in the case included Menendez’s wife Nadine, 57, who is going on trial separately because of her breast cancer treatment. Getty Images
Menendez was found guilty of using his political power in exchange for 1-kilogram gold bars, a Mercedes-Benz convertible and more gifts.
Nadine had been set to go on trial separately amid her treatment for breast cancer, but that start date has been delayed indefinitely.
Evidence compiled by prosecutors included photos of 13 gold bars — totaling roughly $150,000 in value — that were discovered inside his bedroom, wads of cash worth $480,000, a trove of text messages and more.
Prosecutors alleged that Menendez helped pen a letter asking the federal government to unfreeze $300 million worth of aid to Egypt that had been stalled due to human rights concerns, worked to protect Hana’s halal meat business, and more.
Evidence in the case included wads of cash worth $14,500.
Evidence photos included gold bars, cash — and envelopes of cash in Menendez’s official Senate jacket.
They outlined a slew of actions Menendez took between 2018 and 2022.
Menendez’s office did not respond to a Post request for comment Tuesday.
