After New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez was convicted of bribery in a federal court on Tuesday, many people took to social media to offer some sage advice: Resign.
A New York jury found the Democratic politician guilty on all counts, including accepting bribes of gold and cash from three New Jersey businessmen and acting as a foreign agent for the Egyptian government.
Although Menendez told reporters outside the Manhattan courtroom that he plans to appeal the verdict, many of his fellow Americans― and fellow politicians ― told him it’s time to go.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) led the charge to get Menendez to leave the Senate.
“In light of this guilty verdict, Senator Menendez must now do what is right for his constituents, the Senate, and our country, and resign,” Schumer said on X, formerly Twitter.
New Jersey’s Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, who called for Menendez to resign last September, said in a post after Tuesday’s verdict that the senator “violated the trust of his constituents, and betrayed his oath of office” and insisted that “in America, everyone – no matter how powerful – is accountable to our laws.”
New Jersey’s other senator, Cory Booker, said the verdict marked “a dark, painful day for the people in the state,” and called for Menendez to resign so another person could be appointed to the office.
The State’s Democratic Party also called for Menendez to resign and “allow us to move forward.”
Other people on social media also suggested Menendez give up his office.