Sen. Tammy Baldwin calls on fellow Democrat Bob Menendez to resign following bribery charges

WASHINGTON – Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin on Tuesday joined calls for embattled Democrat Bob Menendez to resign days after the New Jersey senator was indicted on charges of conspiracy and bribery.

"The indictment spells out deeply troubling allegations against Senator Menendez that breach the American people's trust and compromise his ability to effectively represent his constituents," Baldwin said.

"While Senator Menendez enjoys the presumption of innocence until proven guilty and will have his day in court to defend himself," she added, "I believe it's best for his constituents, the American people, and our national security for the Senator to step down."

Baldwin joined a small but growing list of Senate Democrats who have called for Menendez to step down from his post. U.S. Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Peter Welch of Vermont and Sherrod Brown of Ohio were among the first Democrats to call for his resignation. Baldwin and U.S. Sen. Jon Tester of Montana joined them early Tuesday, and a number of other Democrats, including Menendez's fellow New Jersey senator, Cory Booker, piled on later in the morning.

Like Brown and Tester, Baldwin is up for re-election in 2024.

Menendez was indicted in New York last week on charges alleging he covertly aided the government of Egypt and business associates in exchange for gold bars and lumps of cash. Federal agents found those gold bars and $480,000 in cash — some of which was stuffed into jackets bearing the senator's name — during a search of Menendez's home last year.

Menendez after he was charged gave up his chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee but has maintained he will not resign from his post in the Senate. He has denied the allegations.

It is the New Jersey Democrat's second indictment in eight years. His first bribery trial in 2017 ended with a hung jury.

Aside from the calls to step down from a handful of Democratic senators, New Jersey's Democratic governor, Phil Murphy, has also called for Menendez's resignation. And New Jersey Democratic U.S. Rep. Andy Kim said he will challenge Menendez for his Senate seat next year.

Some Democrats this week said they would return donations from Menendez's leadership committee, New Millennium PAC. Baldwin in 2012 received $5,000 from the PAC and in 2015, when Menendez first faced bribery charges, said she would not return the money unless the New Jersey Democrat was convicted. He was not.

On Tuesday, a campaign aide to Baldwin noted the New Millennium PAC donation was from 11 years ago and maintained that Baldwin would donate the money if Menendez is convicted. She has not received money from the PAC in the years since.

Baldwin's call for Menendez's resignation is not the first time she's spoken out against a Democratic colleague under fire.

In 2017, Baldwin called on U.S. Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota to resign following allegations he harassed, groped and kissed women without their consent.

THANK YOU: Subscribers' support makes this work possible. Help us share the knowledge by buying a gift subscription.

DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Sen. Tammy Baldwin calls on fellow Democrat Bob Menendez to resign