Menendez informs fellow senators that he will not step down and maintains a defiant stance despite facing bribery allegations.

On Thursday, New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez expressed his determination to remain in office despite facing federal bribery charges. He confidently informed his fellow Senate Democrats that he does not intend to step down.

During a private luncheon at the Capitol, Menendez reiterated his previous public statements regarding the recent indictment, as reported by an anonymous attendee. Menendez has consistently denied any wrongdoing and expressed confidence in his ability to overcome the charges, which allege that he covertly promoted Egyptian interests and exerted influence on prosecutors to assist his acquaintances.

More than half of Democratic senators have said Menendez should step down. But none of them asked questions after he spoke and vowed to remain in office, according to several senators leaving the meeting.

However, Menendez’s comments did not seem to gain him any additional supporters, which only served to isolate him further. This comes as his fellow senators and Democratic leaders have been grappling with how to address the indictment accusing him of using his Senate position to benefit financially through cash, gold bars, and a luxury car.

“I have not changed my stance,” stated Senator Michael Bennet, a Democrat from Colorado, who has urged Menendez to resign. He chose not to provide further information regarding the discussion.

Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse expressed his belief that there is no happiness in his current situation.

Menendez will speak to his fellow senators about the bribery charges he is facing, while demands for his resignation continue to increase.

Maryland Senator Ben Cardin, who is assuming the role of chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in place of Menendez, stated that it was evident that Menendez has no intention of resigning. Menendez had to step down as a result of his indictment, in accordance with caucus regulations.

Menendez, who entered a plea of not guilty to the charges on Wednesday, did not disclose his intentions regarding running for re-election in the upcoming year. New Jersey Representative Andy Kim, a Democrat, has already announced his candidacy for the primary, and Michigan Senator Gary Peters, who leads the Senate Democrats’ campaign arm, has urged Menendez to step down. This suggests that Menendez may not receive the usual campaign support given to incumbents.

On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, suggested that there is uncertainty surrounding Menendez’s political future. He mentioned that Menendez would be speaking at the meeting on Thursday and added, “We’ll have to wait and see what occurs next.”

As he left the meeting, Schumer refrained from commenting on whether Menendez should resign, despite not having made any previous statements on the matter.

Menendez also refused to provide further details. “They understood what I was saying,” he stated regarding his colleagues. He reiterated his decision to not resign.

The New Jersey senator is accused along with his wife, Nadine, in an indictment released Friday of using his position to aid the authoritarian government of Egypt and to pressure federal prosecutors to drop a case against a friend, among other allegations of corruption. The three-count indictment says they were paid gold bars, a luxury car and cash by three New Jersey businessmen as bribes in exchange for multiple corrupt acts.

Menendez, who was freed on a $100,000 bond on Wednesday, claimed that the money discovered in his residence was accumulated from his personal savings throughout the years and was kept for emergency situations. Nevertheless, one of the envelopes containing cash found at his home was identified to have the DNA of one of the businessmen accused as his accomplices, as stated in the indictment. Additionally, prosecutors revealed that the envelope was labeled with the return address of the real estate developer.

The indictment claims that Menendez engaged in multiple actions to support Egypt, even though the U.S. government has concerns about the country’s human rights record. These concerns have led Congress to impose limitations on aid in recent years.

Prosecutors, who detailed meetings and dinners between Menendez and Egyptian officials, say Menendez gave sensitive U.S. government information to Egyptian officials and ghostwrote a letter to fellow senators encouraging them to lift a hold on $300 million in aid to Egypt, one of the top recipients of U.S. military support.

This is the second instance of corruption charges against Menendez within a ten-year span. The previous trial, which involved different accusations, concluded in 2017 without a verdict being reached by the jurors.

Menendez displayed a similar level of resistance while facing those accusations. However, during that period, the majority of his peers, including fellow Democratic Senator Cory Booker from New Jersey, supported him. Booker even testified as a character witness during his trial. Nevertheless, on Tuesday, Booker urged his long-time colleague to resign, citing the recent indictment that contains “startling claims of corruption and unsettling specifics regarding misconduct.”

After the caucus lunch on Thursday, Booker declined to provide any comments on Menendez’s remarks.

After the meeting, West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin was among the limited number of senators who provided a comment. He informed reporters that he would continue to give Menendez the benefit of doubt.

Manchin emphasized that the principle of the rule of law applies to everyone and stated that the person in question will strongly assert their defense.