The reason behind the separation is Bob Menendez’s recent conviction in a big corruption case.
23.7. 23:49•Updated 0:01
In the United States, an influential Democratic senator Bob Menendez has resigned from his position. His resignation letter was read aloud in the Senate on Tuesday.
The reason for the resignation was Menedez’s recent court verdict in a big corruption case. He was convicted of, among other things, bribery and acting as an agent of the Egyptian government. Several party members have demanded that Menendez resign after receiving this sentence.
70-year-old Bob Menendez has been a New Jersey senator since 2006. New Jersey’s Democratic governor Phil Murphy can now appoint a successor to Menendez in the Senate for the remainder of his term, which ends on January 3, 2025.
The senator’s seat for the new six-year term is already open in the elections held on November 5. Democrats have nominated a member of the US House of Representatives Andy Kim’swhich has a strong position in the Democratic-majority state of New Jersey.
On July 16, a jury found Bob Menendez guilty of all 16 charges brought by federal prosecutors in New York. They included, among other things, bribery, fraud, acting on behalf of a foreign power and obstruction of justice.
Menendez has pleaded not guilty to any of the charges and plans to appeal his conviction. Menendez’s sentencing will be announced on October 29. He is expected to receive a decades-long prison sentence.
Sources: Reuters, AP, AFP