New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez (D) faces a mountain of calls for his resignation, with many of them coming from his own party and former media allies.
The indictment, which includes three serious bribery charges involving not only himself, but his wife, and three New Jersey businessmen, is something that reads like a Hollywood movie script.
According to an opinion piece written for The Hill by Dennis Aftergut, the situation for Menendez is dire, and many want him to do the right thing and resign from his post before it continues to cause problems for the party.
"Menendez is innocent until proven guilty. Even so, he would serve the country by resigning, demanding a speedy trial and, if he’s not convicted, running for his seat in 2024," Aftergut wrote.
He went on to list several reasons why the senator's resignation would help America right now. Of course, it was geared toward setting an example, comparing the situation to the indictment-laden Donald Trump.
"Honoring the public trust that holding elected office embodies; Showing the public that no one should hold or seek office while under a serious indictment; Distinguishing Democrats from Donald Trump, Rep. George Santos, and MAGA Republicans who defend individuals holding or running for office while indicted," the author wrote.
Aftergut noted that Menendez, even under extreme intra-party pressure, has indicated that he's not interested in resigning.
"Those who believe in justice believe in innocence until proven guilty," the embattled New Jersey senator said last Friday. "I intend to continue to fight for the people of New Jersey with the same success I’ve had for the past five decades. This is the same record of success these very same leaders have lauded all along."
He also tried to play the race card, saying at the time, "It is not lost on me how quickly some are rushing to judge a Latino and push him out of his seat. I am not going anywhere."
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), one of the most radical members of the Democratic Party and a Latina herself, shot that down recently and also called for his resignation, adding even more embarrassment to the situation.
Aftergut pointed out that Menendez was indicted once before, but the charges were nothing compared to the seriousness of the ones he now faces.
"The allegations in Friday’s indictment are far more damning than in Mendendez’s first trial. Federal prosecutors do not include the kind of specificity that’s in this indictment unless they have the evidence to support it," Aftergut wrote.
With major names like Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), and Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), among others, calling for the New Jersey senator's resignation, many believe it's only a matter of time.
While it's difficult for many to leave Trump out of the conversation, because "ORANGE MAN BAD!!," Menendez should just resign because he's a high-ranking politician in a heap of trouble. Bottom line.
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