PA Sen. John Fetterman Calls For NJ Sen. Bob Menendez's Resignation

WASHINGTON, D.C. —Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman is calling for New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez to resign in the wake of criminal charges filed against him last week.

Fetterman over the weekend became the first senator to advise Menendez to step down.

"Senator Menendez should resign," he stated in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

"He’s entitled to the presumption of innocence, but he cannot continue to wield influence over national policy, especially given the serious and specific nature of the allegations. I hope he chooses an honorable exit and focuses on his trial."

Federal officials have accused Menendez, his wife, and three New Jersey businessmen of a bribery scheme that enriched the government of Egypt, and said Menendez provided sensitive information to foreign officials.

Officials said they found cash stuffed into some of Menendez's jackets in a closet at his home, and found "over one hundred thousand dollars’ worth of gold bars in the home."

The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York unsealed a three-count indictment Friday against Menendez, his wife Nadine, and the businessmen: Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, and Fred Daibes.

Menendez allegedly accepted bribes to use his influence as chair of the Foreign Relations Committee to benefit the Egyptian government and businessmen. Menendez has since stepped down from his position on the committee, in compliance with Senate Democratic bylaws.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and other prominent New Jersey Democrats also are calling for Menendez's resignation.

"Sen. Menendez and the other defendants have not been found guilty and will have the ability to present evidence disputing these charges, and we must respect the process," Murphy said in a statement issued Friday.

"However, the alleged facts are so serious that they compromise the ability of Sen. Menendez to effectively represent the people of our state. Therefore, I am calling for his immediate resignation."

A defiant Menendez issued his own statement Friday saying he won't resign.

“Those who believe in justice believe in innocence until proven guilty,” he said. “I intend to continue to fight for the people of New Jersey with the same success I’ve had for the past five decades. This is the same record of success these very same leaders have lauded all along.”