Sen. Bob Menendez steps down as chair of Foreign Relations Committee, Democrats urge him to resign

WASHINGTON − Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., is temporarily stepping down from his position as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee after being indicted Friday and charged with corruption for the second time in 10 years.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement Friday that Menendez has decided to temporarily step down from his position as chair of the Foreign Relations Committee.

“Bob Menendez has been a dedicated public servant and is always fighting hard for the people of New Jersey. He has a right to due process and a fair trial," Schumer said in a statement.

Menendez, along with his wife, are facing charges for allegedly accepting bribes including cash, gold, mortgage payments and a Mercedes-Benz.

The New Jersey lawmaker in a statement Friday called the allegations "baseless" and said he will remain focused on working for New Jersey families.

“For years, forces behind the scenes have repeatedly attempted to silence my voice and dig my political grave,” he said in a statement. “Since this investigation was leaked nearly a year ago, there has been an active smear campaign of anonymous sources and innuendos to create an air of impropriety where none exists.”

Gov. Phil Murphy, former AG Eric Holder, others want Menendez to resign

A number of Democratic Party activists called on Menendez to resign from Congress entirely − including New Jersey Reps. Andy Kim and Mikie Sherrill.

Kim called the allegations "serious and alarming."

"The people of New Jersey absolutely need to know the truth of what happened, and I hope the judicial system works thoroughly and quickly to bring this truth to light," Kim said. “In the meantime, I don’t have confidence that the Senator has the ability to properly focus on our state and its people while addressing such a significant legal matter. He should step down.”

Sherrill said if the allegations against Menendez are proven true, "there is no room for this kind of conduct in public service."

"Today is a sad day for New Jersey and I believe it’s in the best interest of our state that Senator Menendez resign," Sherrill posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., also called on Menendez to step down, telling CNN: “Yes, I am a Democrat and so is Sen. Menendez, but based on what I have seen, I am disappointed and yes, I think he should resign."

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy called for Menendez's immediate resignation.

“The allegations in the indictment against Senator Menendez and four other defendants are deeply disturbing,” Murphy told the New Jersey Globe. “These are serious charges that implicate national security and the integrity of our criminal justice system. Under our legal system, Senator 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. However, the alleged facts are so serious that they compromise the ability of Senator Menendez to effectively represent the people of our state."

Menendez voluntarily stepped down as the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when he was indicted in 2015 after prosecutors said the New Jersey lawmaker used his office to benefit a Florida eye doctor in exchange for nearly $1 million in gifts and campaign contributions.

He later resumed his position after charges were dropped three years later.

Former United States Attorney General Eric Holder also called upon Menendez to resign.

"The nation will be better served if he steps aside and allows a transition to occur that will best serve the people of New Jersey," he wrote on X.

Menendez: 'I'm not going anywhere'

Menendez in a statement Friday evening said he has no plans on resigning from his Senate seat and said he intends to continue to fight for the people of New Jersey despite calls for him to step down.

"It is not lost on me how quickly some are rushing to judge a Latino and push him out of his seat," he said in a statement. "I am not going anywhere."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Recently indicted Menendez steps down from Foreign Relations Committee