Gov. Phil Murphy again told Bob Menendez to resign from the U.S. Senate, and if he doesn’t, called upon his colleagues to expel him.
Murphy said he would make a temporary appointment to the Senate, a statement that appears to suggest that he would not appoint the Democratic nominee, Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown).
Kim knocked Murphy’s wife, Tammy, out of the Senate race in March after scoring a series of convention wins against New Jersey’s first lady.
On Menendez, Murphy aid the jury’s guilty verdict on all sixteen counts “demonstrates that the Senator broke the law, violated the trust of his constituents, and betrayed his oath of office”
“It also shows that in America, everyone – no matter how powerful – is accountable to our laws,” Murphy said. “Senator Menendez received a fair trial and due process of law as he was entitled to under our Constitution. I
Murphy called on Menendez to resign on September 22, the day the Justice Department unsealed a massive indictment alleging that New Jersey’s senior senator took bribes.
“I reiterate my call for Senator Menendez to resign immediately after being found guilty of endangering national security and the integrity of our criminal justice system,” said Murphy. “If he refuses to vacate his office, I call on the U.S. Senate to vote to expel him. In the event of a vacancy, I will exercise my duty to make a temporary appointment to ensure the people of New Jersey have the representation they deserve.”