U.S. Senator Bob Menendez has taken no steps to collect the 1,000 petition signatures he needs to get on the ballot for the June 4 Democratic primary, a clear sign that the three-term incumbent, facing a growing number of federal criminal charges, will not seek re-election this year.
The filing deadline is on March 25.
Three sources with direct knowledge of Menendez’s plans told the New Jersey Globe that Menendez is not using paid staff or volunteers to get on the ballot and that petitions have not yet been circulated.
“He’s not running. There’s no team in place. I would know,” a Menendez friend told the New Jersey Globe.
Still, Menendez could quickly gather the signatures a few days before the deadline if he wants to. But he has not announced his intentions.
Menendez declined to participate in six Democratic county conventions and two screening committees held so far and has not notified party leaders that he wants to take part in any other remaining conventions, interviews, or forums. He did not respond to an invitation from the New Jersey Globe to join a February 18 debate with Democratic Senate candidates Andy Kim and Tammy Murphy.
Menendez’s corruption scandal is scheduled to begin on May 6 and is unlikely to be completed before the primary.
But Menendez could still file as an independent—the deadline is June 4—and preserve his options depending on the trial’s outcome. U.S. District Court Judge Sidney Stein has not yet ruled on Menendez’s motion to dismiss.
The Justice Department added an obstruction of justice charge against Menendez yesterday, claiming he deliberately misled federal prosecutors about the nature of payments that traded hands between the senator and his wife, Nadine, and several businessmen who are co-defendants in the case. The Menendezes told prosecutors that the payments were loans, but the indictment alleges that they were, in fact, bribery payments.
The initial indictment unsealed on September 22 alleged that he and Nadine Menendez had received cash and gifts – including, most famously, gold bars – from three North Jersey businessmen in exchange for taking official actions to support their businesses and influence federal prosecutions against them and their associates.
One of the defendants in the indictment, businessman Jose Uribe, switched his plea to guilty last week.
Menendez has been spending down his significant campaign warchest to pay his lawyers.
“Politics isn’t on his mind,” his friend said. “He’s got lots of other stuff he’s got to worry about, like staying out, if you know what I mean.””
Menendez did not respond to a text message to his cell phone seeking comment.