Has he finally read the signs of the times? It’s demanding to say. During the latest chapter of his criminal entanglements, Democratic Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey remained defiant, protested his innocence, refused to give up the Senate seat he had held since 2006, and even continued to run for re-election, even switching to the independent category. But now the 70-year-old finally seems to be decided throw in the towel.
Menendez submitted for running as an independent in June while his trial was still ongoing, and wanted to keep all options open until the outcome of the case. He was convicted six weeks later And announced his resignation with effect from Tuesday.
Still, there’s a chance his continued candidacy as an independent could complicate the race between major party candidates Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) and Republican businessman Curtis Bashaw. Friday was the deadline for Menendez to withdraw his candidacy as an independent.
The New Jersey Division of Elections received an email from Menendez on Friday afternoon requesting that he be removed from the ballot.
“I am writing this email to inform you that I wish to withdraw my name from the ballot as an independent candidate for the United States Senate election in November,” Menendez wrote to the department’s acting director.
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Menendez’s months-long corruption trial in the Southern District of New York should have been a sensation – a sitting U.S. senator, one with powerful committee positions, is on trial for corruption, bribery, racketeering, spying and obstruction of justice. But Menendez’s trial, which began in mid-May and ended in mid-July with a guilty verdict on all 16 counts, was largely overshadowed by the trial of former President Donald Trump in Manhattan on falsified business records and the trial of First Son Hunter Biden in Delaware on weapons charges.
Menendez, whose verdict is set to be announced on October 29, will officially resign on Tuesday, and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (D) is expected to appoint George Helmy, his former chief of staff, is expected to fill the seat.
