WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate Ethics Committee on Monday notified Sen. Bob Menendez that its members unanimously voted to “consider his alleged violations of Senate Rules,” a decision that could lead to the New Jersey Democrat’s possible expulsion from the upper chamber or a reprimand.
Last week, a jury found Menendez guilty. found guilty on all counts in a federal corruption trial of accepting bribes in the form of gold bars, cash, car payments and a mortgage from three New Jersey businessmen in exchange for favors for Egypt and Qatar, and interfering in two criminal investigations.
At the time of accepting bribes, Menendez was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Senate Ethics Committee co-chairs Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware, and James Lankford, Republican of Oklahoma, said: in a joint statement that they expect the commission to “complete its adjudicative review immediately.”
“Upon completion of its adjudicative review, the Committee will promptly proceed to submit a written report to the Senate detailing its findings and any recommendations for disciplinary action,” they wrote.
Menendez’s office did not respond to States Newsroom’s request for comment.
Menendez filed to run for the seat as an independent candidate, even though many of his Democratic Party colleagues pressured him to drop out. US Representative Andy KimDemocrat, running for Senate seat against Republican Curtis Bashaw.
Two-thirds of the Senate would need to vote to expel a member, but only a majority is needed to pass a resolution of censure. A censure is a form of discipline in which the Senate formally disapproves of a member but does not lead to removal.
Since 1789 the Senate has excluded 15 members, according to the Senate archives. The last time a senator was expelled Jesse D. Bright from Indiana in 1862 for supporting the Confederate rebellion, although there have been numerous subsequent expulsion attempts since then. That same year, two more senators were expelled for supporting the Confederacy.
