Embattled Bob Menendez tells allies he'll resign: report
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) reportedly told allies he will resign following his conviction on corruption charges Tuesday.
That's according to NBC News, which cited two anonymous people directly familiar with those conversations.
Menendez faced calls to resign from major Democratic leaders including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ).
If he resigns, Gov. Phil Murphy will appoint a replacement senator to finish out his term, which ends in January 2025.
Prosecutors said he accepted gold bars, cash, and mortgage payments worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in a scheme that reached as far as the governments of Egypt and Qatar.
On Tuesday, a jury found him guilty of all counts that included conspiracy to commit bribery, actions to benefit Egypt, and conspiracy For a Public Official to Act as a Foreign Agent. Menendez responded to the guilty plea by throwing his face in his hands and shaking his head.
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Nadine Menendez, his wife, was also charged but saw her trial postponed indefinitely due to a breast cancer diagnosis, reports show.
Co-defendants, New Jersey businessmen Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, were also found guilty on all the counts they faced.
New York federal prosecutors claimed Menendez, 70, "put his power up for sale" and received a Mercedes-Benz convertible and envelopes stuffed with cash in exchange.
They also allege Menendez's wife received her engagement ring as part of his bribery scheme.