Sens. Tammy Baldwin, Jack Rosen and Jon Tester on Tuesday are among the latest Senate Democrats to call on their Democratic colleague, Sen. Bob Menendez, to resign in the wake of a federal indictment accusing him of corruption-related offenses.
“While Senator Menendez enjoys the presumption of innocence until proven guilty and will have his day in court to defend himself, I believe it’s best for his constituents, the American people, and our national security for the Senator to step down,” Baldwin, of Wisconsin, said in a statement Tuesday morning.
Tester, who faces a tough reelection in Montana next year, echoed Baldwin’s sentiments.
“I’ve read the detailed charges against Senator Menendez and find them deeply disturbing. While he deserves a fair trial like every other American, I believe Senator Menendez should resign for the sake of the public’s faith in the U.S. Senate,” he said in a statement.
The lack of support from Menendez’s Democratic colleagues comes despite the slim majority the party holds in the Senate. Sens. Peter Welch of Vermont, Sherrod Brown of Ohio and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania also called for Menendez’s resignation.
Rosen, who is up for reelection next year in Nevada, issued a statement also on Tuesday.
“The well-documented political corruption charges are a violation of the public trust, and Senator Menendez should resign,” Rosen said. “While he is entitled to due process and a fair trial, this is a distraction that undermines the bipartisan work we need to do in the Senate for the American people.”
Fetterman, who was the first to call for Menendez’s resignation over the weekend, will return $5,000 in donations his campaign received from Menendez’s political action committee, according to the Pennsylvania Democrat’s office.
Menendez and his wife, Nadine…
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