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Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey will resign his seat, multiple outlets reported Tuesday, after being found guilty of taking part in a years-long international bribery scheme that saw him receive lavish gifts in exchange for using his position to help foreign governments.
His resignation is expected to take effect on Aug. 20, a date that was first reported by The New Jersey Globe.
Menendez had faced mounting calls from top Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and New Jersey Gov. Philip D. Murphy to resign following the guilty verdict, while other Democrats had vowed to vote him out if he didn’t do so voluntarily.
With his seat vacated, Murphy will appoint a replacement to complete his Senate term, which ends in 2025.
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Menendez was convicted on July 16 following a nine-week trial by a New York jury of 16 felony counts, including bribery, extortion, conspiracy, and acting as a foreign agent for the Egyptian government.
Menendez, a powerful former head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, accepted bribes including gold bars and a Mercedes-Benz in exchange for carrying out political favors in the US and abroad. He plans to appeal the conviction.
He will be sentenced in October and faces decades in prison.