The American senator of Cuban originBob Menendez resigned as chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee after being indicted on conspiracy to commit bribery and other charges.
As announced by the leader of the Democratic majority in the Senate,Chuck Schumer, Menéndez "temporarily" resigned from his position "until the matter is resolved."
"Bob Menendez has been a dedicated public servant and is always fighting hard for the people of New Jersey. He has the right to due process and a fair trial," Schumer said.
The Democrat, representative of New Jersey, wascharged with his wife for accepting bribes and use his influence to benefit three businessmen from his State and the government of Egypt.
Menéndez, 69, would have done certain favors in exchange forhundreds of thousands of dollars in cash plus jewelry, a Mercedes-Benz, gold bars and home mortgage payments.
The politician issued a written statement in which he tried to give a political motivation to the accusations, which he classified as false, and stated that they have attacked his wife because of the friends he had before meeting her.
"For years, forces behind the scenes have repeatedly tried to silence my voice and dig my political grave," he said, quoted byBBC.
"Since this investigation was leaked almost a year ago, there has been an active smear campaign from anonymous sources and innuendo to create an air of impropriety where none exists," he stressed.
"I am confident that this matter will be successfully resolved once all the facts are presented and my fellow New Jerseyans will see this for what it is," he added.
Menendez also responded to other Democratic members of Congress from New Jersey who called for his complete resignation from the Senate, and not just his resignation as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.
"I will not go anywhere"he said in a second statement on Friday.
HeCuban-American and his wife are charged with three counts: conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, and conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official law.
In searches carried out by federal agents in the couple's home, $480,000 was found kept in envelopes hidden in clothing, closets and in a safe; gold bars valued at more than $100,000 and the Mercedes-Benz. All of this "fruits of the corrupt bribery agreement with the businessmen." Additionally, there was another $70,000 in the woman's safe deposit box.
Investigators believe that Menéndez interfered in the work of the Prosecutor's Office or the Department of Agriculture, and even proposed to President Joe Biden a candidate for district attorney whom he could influence, reportedNBC News.
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