US Senator Bob Menendez will resign on August 20 following his conviction of taking bribes and acting as an agent for the Egyptian government, AP News reports.
Menendez, who served as the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was convicted for using his office to benefit three New Jersey businessmen and the Egyptian government in exchange for bribes, including stacks of gold bars and $480,000 in cash found in his home by FBI agents. Menendez’s resignation marks a significant end to a long political career, with his sentencing scheduled for October 29, just a week before the upcoming election.
Despite maintaining his innocence and planning to appeal, Menendez cited a need for an orderly transition, the timing coincides with a Senate payday. His resignation enables New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to appoint a temporary replacement until Menendez’s term ends on January 3.
