Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) said Friday that Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) should resign in the aftermath of being indicted on federal corruption charges.
“I’m appalled,” he said in a CNN interview. “And yes, I think he should resign.”
Phillips is the first Democratic lawmaker to call on Menendez to step down in the hours since he was indicted by federal prosecutors in New York. The New Jersey senator is accused of accepting bribes including $100,000 in gold bars and $480,000 in cash in exchange for official acts that aided an Egyptian American businessman.
The Minnesota congressman said that while everyone is innocent until proven guilty, there is real evidence to suggest Menendez broke the law. Asked if he thinks Senate Democratic leaders should pressure Menendez to leave office, Phillips said he believes that it’s important to restore faith in government.
“Yes,” he said. “The answer is absolutely.”
You can watch the full exchange here:
In a statement, Menendez denied the allegations against him and said he was being prosecuted by people who “simply cannot accept that a first generation Latino-American from humble beginnings could rise to be a U.S. Senator and serve with honor and distinction.”
Friday’s news marks the second time that the New Jersey senator has been indicted on corruption charges.
In 2017, his trial ended with a deadlocked jury. He won reelection in 2018.