Cory Booker joins call for Bob Menendez to resign from Senate amid bribery indictment

Sept. 26 (UPI) -- Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and three other Democrats on Tuesday joined the call for Sen. Bob Menendez to resign following allegations of bribery and corruption.

Booker said in a press release that it is difficult for him to "reconcile" the allegations against his fellow New Jersey Senator with the person he has come to know.

"Senator Menendez is again facing a federal indictment, one that contains shocking allegations of corruption and specific, disturbing details of wrongdoing. I've found the allegations hard to reconcile with the person I know," Booker said.

Menendez was indicted on Friday on charges to related bribery allegations and resigned from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. On Monday he said he would not resign from the Senate and denied the allegations.

"Stepping down is not an admission of guilt but an acknowledgment that holding public office often demands tremendous sacrifices at great personal cost," Booker continued. "Senator Menendez has made these sacrifices in the past to serve. And in this case he must do so again. I believe stepping down is best for those Senator Menendez has spent his life serving."

Senators Jon Tester, D-Mont., Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., also made statements in support of Menendez's resignation on Tuesday. Tester described the charges as "disturbing" in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Casey said the indictment suggests that Menendez repeatedly violated the public's trust.

"The indictment spells out deeply troubling allegations against Senator Menendez that breach the American people's trust and compromise his ability to effectively represent his constituents," Baldwin posted.

Democrats Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., had previously said Menendez should resign.