Calls are mounting for Menendez to resign as Democrats grapple with ‘shocking’ bribery allegations

WASHINGTON — Sen. Bob Menendez came under heavy pressure to resign Tuesday as a surging number of his Democratic colleagues in the Senate, including fellow New Jersey Democrat Cory Booker, urged him to step aside over the federal bribery allegations against him. “I recognize this will be the biggest fight yet, but as I have stated throughout this whole process, I firmly believe that when all the facts are presented, not only will I be exonerated, but I still will be New Jersey’s senior senator,” Menendez said Monday at Hudson County Community College’s campus in Union City, where he grew up. Other Democratic senators who have called for Menendez to step down included Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Peter Welch of Vermont, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Jon Tester of Montana, Jacky Rosen of Nevada, Michael Bennet of Colorado, Mark Kelly of Arizona, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Raphael Warnock of Georgia, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, John Fetterman and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey of Massachusetts. Prosecutors say Hana gave the senator’s wife, Nadine Menendez, a “low-show or no-show job,” paid $23,000 toward her home mortgage, wrote $30,000 checks to her consulting company, promised her envelopes of cash, sent her exercise equipment and bought some of the gold bars that were found in the couple’s home.