SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) arrive to a joint session of the U.S. Congress with U.S. President Donald Trump on February 28, 2017 in the House chamber of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC.
(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Booker to Menendez: 'Stepping Down Is Best'
"Stepping down is not an admission of guilt but an acknowledgment that holding public office often demands tremendous sacrifices at great personal cost," said one of New Jersey's U.S. senators to the one facing federal corruption charges.
Sep 26, 2023
Sen. Cory Booker on Tuesday called on Sen. Bob Menendez, his fellow New Jersey Democrat in the U.S. Senate, to step aside in the face of a damning federal indictment on corruption charges issued last week.
"As Senator Menendez prepares to mount his legal defense, he has stated that he will not resign," Booker said in a statement. "Senator Menendez fiercely asserts his innocence and it is therefore understandable that he believes stepping down is patently unfair. But I believe this is a mistake."
Booker praised Menendez as a friend and trusted colleague, one with a "boundless work ethic" and who is "deeply empathetic."
This is Menendez's second indictment for corruption, with a first trial over charges brought in 2017 ending in a mistrial.
"It is not surprising to me that Senator Menendez is again determined to mount a vigorous defense," Booker said Tuesday. "And I still believe he, like anyone involved with our criminal justice system, deserves our presumption of innocence until proven guilty. A jury of his peers will make the ultimate decision as to whether he is criminally guilty.
"There is, however, another higher standard for public officials, one not of criminal law but of common ideals," he continued. "As Senators, we operate in the public trust. That trust is essential to our ability to do our work and perform our duties for our constituents."
Booker now joins other Democratic in the upper chamber—including Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Sherrod Brown (D-Oh.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), John Tester (D-Mt.), and Bob Casey (D-Pa.)—who have called on Menendez to resign.
On Monday, a defiant Menendez made his first public remarks about the indictment, in which he said the nearly $480,000 in cash and gold bars found in his house was from his own personal savings account over the years, all money he claimed was legitimately earned from his career as a politician and lawmaker.
He said he would not resign, though he acknowledged the legal battle ahead would be tough. Once the process was over, he vowed that "not only will I be exonerated, I will still be New Jersey's senior senator."
In his statement, Booker said, "Stepping down is not an admission of guilt but an acknowledgment that holding public office often demands tremendous sacrifices at great personal cost. Senator Menendez has made these sacrifices in the past to serve. And in this case he must do so again. I believe stepping down is best for those Senator Menendez has spent his life serving."
An Unconstitutional Rampage
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Sen. Cory Booker on Tuesday called on Sen. Bob Menendez, his fellow New Jersey Democrat in the U.S. Senate, to step aside in the face of a damning federal indictment on corruption charges issued last week.
"As Senator Menendez prepares to mount his legal defense, he has stated that he will not resign," Booker said in a statement. "Senator Menendez fiercely asserts his innocence and it is therefore understandable that he believes stepping down is patently unfair. But I believe this is a mistake."
Booker praised Menendez as a friend and trusted colleague, one with a "boundless work ethic" and who is "deeply empathetic."
This is Menendez's second indictment for corruption, with a first trial over charges brought in 2017 ending in a mistrial.
"It is not surprising to me that Senator Menendez is again determined to mount a vigorous defense," Booker said Tuesday. "And I still believe he, like anyone involved with our criminal justice system, deserves our presumption of innocence until proven guilty. A jury of his peers will make the ultimate decision as to whether he is criminally guilty.
"There is, however, another higher standard for public officials, one not of criminal law but of common ideals," he continued. "As Senators, we operate in the public trust. That trust is essential to our ability to do our work and perform our duties for our constituents."
Booker now joins other Democratic in the upper chamber—including Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Sherrod Brown (D-Oh.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), John Tester (D-Mt.), and Bob Casey (D-Pa.)—who have called on Menendez to resign.
On Monday, a defiant Menendez made his first public remarks about the indictment, in which he said the nearly $480,000 in cash and gold bars found in his house was from his own personal savings account over the years, all money he claimed was legitimately earned from his career as a politician and lawmaker.
He said he would not resign, though he acknowledged the legal battle ahead would be tough. Once the process was over, he vowed that "not only will I be exonerated, I will still be New Jersey's senior senator."
In his statement, Booker said, "Stepping down is not an admission of guilt but an acknowledgment that holding public office often demands tremendous sacrifices at great personal cost. Senator Menendez has made these sacrifices in the past to serve. And in this case he must do so again. I believe stepping down is best for those Senator Menendez has spent his life serving."
Sen. Cory Booker on Tuesday called on Sen. Bob Menendez, his fellow New Jersey Democrat in the U.S. Senate, to step aside in the face of a damning federal indictment on corruption charges issued last week.
"As Senator Menendez prepares to mount his legal defense, he has stated that he will not resign," Booker said in a statement. "Senator Menendez fiercely asserts his innocence and it is therefore understandable that he believes stepping down is patently unfair. But I believe this is a mistake."
Booker praised Menendez as a friend and trusted colleague, one with a "boundless work ethic" and who is "deeply empathetic."
This is Menendez's second indictment for corruption, with a first trial over charges brought in 2017 ending in a mistrial.
"It is not surprising to me that Senator Menendez is again determined to mount a vigorous defense," Booker said Tuesday. "And I still believe he, like anyone involved with our criminal justice system, deserves our presumption of innocence until proven guilty. A jury of his peers will make the ultimate decision as to whether he is criminally guilty.
"There is, however, another higher standard for public officials, one not of criminal law but of common ideals," he continued. "As Senators, we operate in the public trust. That trust is essential to our ability to do our work and perform our duties for our constituents."
Booker now joins other Democratic in the upper chamber—including Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Sherrod Brown (D-Oh.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), John Tester (D-Mt.), and Bob Casey (D-Pa.)—who have called on Menendez to resign.
On Monday, a defiant Menendez made his first public remarks about the indictment, in which he said the nearly $480,000 in cash and gold bars found in his house was from his own personal savings account over the years, all money he claimed was legitimately earned from his career as a politician and lawmaker.
He said he would not resign, though he acknowledged the legal battle ahead would be tough. Once the process was over, he vowed that "not only will I be exonerated, I will still be New Jersey's senior senator."
In his statement, Booker said, "Stepping down is not an admission of guilt but an acknowledgment that holding public office often demands tremendous sacrifices at great personal cost. Senator Menendez has made these sacrifices in the past to serve. And in this case he must do so again. I believe stepping down is best for those Senator Menendez has spent his life serving."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.