Chuck Schumer Calls On Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez To Resign

WASHINGTON ― Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday called on Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) to resign, minutes after his longtime Democratic colleague was found guilty on federal corruption charges.

“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.

Menendez, who previously served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was found guilty of accepting bribes of gold and cash from New Jersey businessmen and acting at the behest of the Egyptian government. The jury found him guilty onall 16 felony counts, including extortion and acting as a foreign agent.

Emerging from the courthouse shortly after the verdict, Menendez appeared defiant and vowed to appeal the verdict.

“Obviously, I’m deeply, deeply disappointed by the jury’s decision,” the three-term senator said in brief remarks to the press. “I have every faith that the law and facts were not sustained in that decision, and that we will be successful upon appeal.”

“I have never violated my public oath. I have never been anything but a patriot of my country and for my country,” he said. “I have never, ever been a foreign agent.”

Other prominent Democrats were quick to re-up their past calls for Menendez’s resignation after the jury’s verdict, which came after a nine-week trial in which prosecutors said the New Jersey senator abused the power of his office to enrich himself and his wife while shielding allies from criminal probes.

“I reiterate my call for Senator Menendez to resign immediately after being found guilty of endangering national security and the integrity of our criminal justice system,” New Jersey Democratic