As the calls for Senator Bob Menendez to resign grew to a groundswell on Tuesday, Sept. 26 (fellow Senator from New Jersey Cory Booker has now joined the chorus), the Maplewood Democratic Committee added its voice to those of local elected officials urging Menendez to resign, including former Maplewood Mayor Vic De Luca, South Orange Village President Sheena Collum and current Maplewood Mayor Dean Dafis.
Menendez was indicted by federal prosecutors on September 22 in what The New York Times describes as “one of the most serious political corruption cases in recent history.” Menendez stands accused of “trading the power of his position for cash, gifts and gold.” Previous corruption charges against Menendez ended in a mistrial in 2017.
Menendez continues to state that he will not resign “because I’m innocent.”
Statement from the Maplewood Democratic Committee:
“The Maplewood Democrats are gravely concerned about the seriousness of the charges brought against Senator Menendez in the second indictment brought against him just a few short years. Our Committee, along with Governor Phil Murphy, our Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, the Essex County Democratic Committee, and many other elected officials and Democratic organizations from across our State and Country, call for his immediate resignation.
“The Maplewood Democrats believe that no elected official, of any party, should continue to serve in office when sufficient evidence has been presented to a grand jury warranting their issuance of an indictment for crimes as serious as those alleged here. Senator Menendez has a right to the legal presumption of innocence, and will be afforded due process in a court of law. Nevertheless, the grand jury indictment includes alleged actions by Senator Menendez that, if a jury finds him guilty, demonstrate an extreme breach of the public trust. To defend upon such serious charges would make it impossible to effectively serve the over nine million people who reside in New Jersey. We call on Senator Menendez to resign immediately.”
