BREAKING: Sen. Bob Menendez Tells Colleagues That He Will Resign

Following his conviction on Tuesday on over a dozen counts of federal bribery charges, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) has told allies that he plans to announce his resignation.

"Menendez, who had been defiant for months in the face of calls from dozens of Senate Democrats to resign, appears to have finally relented after the guilty verdict and growing threats to expel him if he refused," NBC News reports. "He is calling allies to them of his intention to resign, these sources said, ending would end a three-decade career in Congress that included a powerful committee chairmanship, writing major legislation and two criminal trials over allegations of corruption."

BREAKING: Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez tells allies he will resign after his corruption conviction, sources say, ending a decadeslong career in Congress. https://t.co/qHpvPpV51j
— NBC News (@NBCNews) July 17, 2024

Prominent Democrats called for Menendez to resign, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). Fellow Garden State Democrats Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Gov. Phil Murphy (D-N.J.) have also urged him to step down.

“In light of this guilty verdict, Senator Menendez must now do what is right for his constituents, the Senate, and our country, and resign,” Schumer said in a statement after the guilty verdict for Menendez and his co-conspirators was announced on Tuesday.

Menendez and his wife took bribes from individuals representing the interests of three businessmen as well as the governments of Egypt and Qatar in exchange for his influence on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Bribes included cash, clothing, a luxury car, and gold bars.

Some wild photos from the indictment: https://t.co/F3nbTWGmPr pic.twitter.com/t1s4elB9vJ
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) September 22, 2023

If Mendendez does indeed resign, Murphy will choose a replacement to fill out the remainder of the senator's term, which ends in January. Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J) won the Democratic primary for Menendez's seat, and he will face real estate developer Curtis Bashaw, who won the GOP primary. Menendez announced that he would run as an independent before his conviction.

This is a developing story. We'll have more details as they become available.