Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton, joined a growing group of senators Tuesday in calling for embattled New Jersey U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez to resign.
Menendez, a Democrat, and his wife were indicted Friday on charges that they took bribes including a luxury car, $480,000 in cash and $100,000 worth of gold bars in exchange for him using his influence to help the authoritarian Egyptian government.
Casey said public service is a “sacred trust” and the allegations against Menendez indicated to him that Menendez violated that trust.
“While he is entitled to the presumption of innocence, serving in public office is a privilege that demands a higher standard of conduct,” Casey said in a statement. “Sen. Menendez should resign.”
Menendez has denied the charges and said he believes he will be cleared. He has rejected calls to resign and said the cash found in his home was personal savings.
Casey joins fellow Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Braddock, in calling for Menendez’s resignation. On Friday, Fetterman became the first senator to say that Menendez should step down.
More than a dozen other Democratic senators have called for Menendez to resign over the past two days, including U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., John Tester, D-Mont., and Cory Booker, D-N.J.
A Casey spokesperson also told news site The Messenger that Casey will donate $10,000 worth of campaign contributions he received from Menendez this cycle.
