U.S. Senate ethics panel to conduct review of alleged rules violations by Menendez

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 10: Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) arrives at Manhattan Federal Court on July 10, 2024 in New York City. Closing arguments continue in Sen. Menendez's trial with co-defendant's Fred Daibes and Wael Hana. Menendez is charged with corruption after gold bars and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash were found at his home. Menendez and his wife, Nadine, are accused of extortion, obstruction of justice and accepting bribes to perform favors for businessmen with connections to Egypt and Qatar. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate Committee on Ethics Monday notified Sen. Bob Menendez that its members unanimously voted for an “adjudicatory review of his alleged violations of Senate Rules,” in a move that could lead to the New Jersey Democrat’s possible expulsion from the upper chamber or a censure.

Last week a jury found Menendez guilty on all counts in his federal corruption trial for taking bribes in the form of gold bars, cash, car and mortgage payments from three New Jersey businessmen to do favors for Egypt and Qatar and to meddle in two criminal investigations.

At the time he took the bribes, Menendez was chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The co-chairs of Senate Ethics, Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware, and James Lankford, Republican of Oklahoma, said in a joint statement that they anticipate the committee “completing the adjudicatory review promptly.”

“At the completion of the adjudicatory review, the Committee will move expeditiously to submit a written report to the Senate including specific findings and any recommendations for disciplinary action,” they wrote.

Menendez’s office did not respond to a request for comment from States Newsroom.

Menendez has filed to run for his seat as an independent, even as many of his Democratic colleagues have pressured him to resign. U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, a Democrat, is running for the Senate seat against Republican Curtis Bashaw. 

Two-thirds of the Senate would need to vote to expel a member, but only a majority is needed to pass a censure resolution. A censure is a form of discipline in which the Senate formally disapproves of a member, but it does not lead to removal.

Since 1789, the Senate has expelled 15 members, according to Senate archives. The last time a senator was expelled was Jesse D. Bright of Indiana in 1862 for his support of the Confederate rebellion, though numerous more attempts at expulsion have occurred since then. Two more senators were expelled that year for their support of the Confederacy.

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