Politics 11:00 24/07/2024 World

Pro-Armenian Senator Bob Menendez resigns after corruption conviction

Pro-Armenian U.S. Senator Bob Menendez submitted his resignation on Tuesday in the aftermath of his conviction on corruption charges including bribery and acting as an agent for Egypt's government, bowing to pressure from fellow Democrats to give up the job, Reuters reported.

"I will be resigning from my office as the United States Senator from New Jersey, effective on the close of business on Aug. 20, 2024," Menendez's letter, which was seen by Reuters, said.

"While I fully intend to appeal the jury's verdict, all the way and including to the Supreme Court, I do not want the Senate to be involved in a lengthy process that will detract from its important work," the letter added.

Democratic New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy will appoint a replacement for Menendez, who has represented New Jersey in the Senate since 2006 and served as chairman of the influential Foreign Relations Committee before giving up that post after being charged last year.

Murphy said in a statement he had received the letter but did not provide details on when he would finalize a decision for naming Menendez's temporary replacement. A spokesperson for Murphy did not reply to a request for details about the timing of the decision.

Menendez, 70, was found guilty on July 16 by a jury in Manhattan federal court on all 16 criminal counts he faced - also including obstruction of justice, wire fraud and extortion - after a nine-week trial. Two co-defendants also were convicted.

The case centered on what prosecutors called bribery schemes in which the senator and his wife Nadine Menendez accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, gold bars and car and mortgage payments from three businessmen. In exchange, Menendez steered billions of dollars in U.S. aid to Egypt, and tried to influence the criminal prosecutions of two of the businessmen, prosecutors said. Menendez plans to appeal.

U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein has set Menendez's sentencing for Oct. 29, a week before the Nov. 5 election in which he is running as an independent in a bid for another six-year term in the Senate, but is considered a long shot to win.



Source Panorama.am
Share |
Տեքստում սխալ կամ վրիպակ նկատելու դեպքում, ուղարկեք խմբագրին հաղորդագրություն` նշելով տվյալ սխալը, այնուհետև սեղմելով Ctrl-Enter:

Newsfeed

17:13
Gold traders in Yerevan protest against tax hike
Gold traders in Yerevan once again gathered outside the Armenian government building on Thursday to protest against the recent tax hike...
16:35
Armenian-Azerbaijani peace process not stalled, deputy FM says
Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan claims the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace process has not come to a standstill, reiterating...
16:05
ZCMC strike: A provocation by ‘dark forces' or a labor dispute?
The protest by employees of the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine (ZCMC) in Armenia’s Syunik Province, which many initially viewed...
14:33
Japanese man starts dating agency after 2,000 failed dates
A man in Japan established a dating agency to help others in navigating the complexities of love after experiencing 2,000 unsuccessful blind...
14:02
ANCA urges Tulsi Gabbard to investigate U.S. complicity in Artsakh ethnic cleansing
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) on Wednesday congratulated former U.S. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard on her confirmation as...
13:36
Armenian church commemorates Prophet Jonah
The Armenian Apostolic Church on Thursday commemorate the Prophet Jonah, one of the minor prophets. The minor prophets are not considered...
13:26
Azerbaijan files arbitration claim against Armenia
Azerbaijan has filed a lawsuit against Armenia in the Hague Arbitration Court, accusing Armenia of environmental destruction in...
12:46
Which pro-government circles are cashing in on ZCMC workers' social issues?
Production operations at the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine (ZCMC) in Kajaran, Armenia, have resumed after a strike that lasted more...
11:32
All major highways open to traffic in Armenia
All interstate and republican highways are currently open to traffic across Armenia. The roads connecting the Amberd high mountain...
11:14
White House spox says she's unaware of preconditions for Putin-Trump meeting
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said she was not aware of any preconditions set for a possible meeting between Donald Trump and...
17:00
Political analyst reveals what Pashinyan's 'Real Armenia' really means
Political analyst Stepan Danielyan has revealed the true essence of the "Real Armenia" concept promoted by Armenian Prime Minister...
16:35
Snow in store for Valentine's Day
Dry weather is expected across Armenia today. Snow is forecast for most parts of the country late on February 13 and 14 marked as...
16:20
Armenia reaping benefits from EAEU now – Kremlin
Some countries have spent decades waiting to join the European Union (EU), while Armenia is currently reaping significant benefits from its...
15:59
Opposition MP dismisses EU membership bid as unrealistic
The pro-government majority in the Armenian National Assembly on Wednesday approved a bill seeking to launch the process of Armenia’s...
15:11
Constantine Tassoulas elected as new president of Greece
Greece's parliament elected its former speaker, Constantine Tassoulas, as the country's president on Wednesday, approving the...
14:51
Opposition MP blasts Armenian speaker's remarks on Artsakh people
Opposition Hayastan faction MP Mher Mekonyan strongly criticized National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan’s recent remarks on the Artsakh...
14:16
Armenian parliament majority approves EU accession bill
The pro-government majority in the Armenian National Assembly on Wednesday approved a bill seeking to launch the process of Armenia’s...
13:49
Artsakh president slams Armenian parliament speaker's comments
Artsakh President Samvel Shahramanyan has denounced the Armenian parliament speaker's recent remarks on the Artsakh people and its...
13:12
Trump fires USAID inspector general
The inspector general of the US Agency for International Development was fired on Tuesday, a day after his office released a report critical of...
12:45
Ex-ombudsman: Armenia's ruling party thrives on division
Former Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan accused the leadership of Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract party of “dividing people, spreading hatred...
12:13
Producer Ruben Mkhitaryan announces run for Gyumri mayor to beat Pashinyan's team
Public figure and producer Ruben Mkhitaryan has announced his decision to run for mayor of Gyumri, Armenia's second largest...
11:30
Armenian GMs secure 2nd and 3rd places at Al-Beruniy Chess Tournament
Armenian GMs Shant Sargsyan and Haik Martirosyan took 2nd and 3rd places respectively at the 2nd International Chess Tournament Al-Beruniy held...
11:15
Poland says Russian military aircraft briefly violated its airspace
Poland's army said a Russian aircraft briefly violated the airspace over the NATO country's territorial waters Tuesday in the latest...
11:04
Erdogan is said to be the descendant of a Greek Pro-Armenian anarchist
By Harut Sassounian www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com Over the years, many articles have appeared in the Turkish press claiming that various...
17:35
Azerbaijan trying to force new concessions on Armenia, MP warns
Azerbaijan has turned the sham trial of 23 Armenian prisoners illegally held in Baku into a propaganda tool and a means of justifying war...
16:35
Russia ready to facilitate Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization, Kremlin says
Moscow is ready to facilitate the Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement process but would welcome independent efforts of the conflicting sides,...
16:13
'You could have stayed and fought', Armenian speaker tells Artsakh reporter
An Artsakh journalist questioned Armenian National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan about the possibility of returning to Artsakh in the...
15:30
Temperatures to rise significantly across Armenia
Dry weather is expected across Armenia on Tuesday and Wednesday. Snow is forecast for most parts of the country later this week. The...
15:05
Mysterious portrait revealed beneath Picasso painting
Art historians studying a painting by Pablo Picasso have uncovered the mysterious portrait of a woman, hidden beneath its surface, CNN...
14:45
Activist accuses Armenian law enforcement of attack cover-up
Opposition activist Artur Chakhoyan has accused Armenian law enforcement officers of concealing material facts related to an attack on him....

Follow us and get updates!

Most popular articles

{"core.blocks.header.spell_message1":"Selected mistake: ","core.blocks.header.spell_message2":"Send a message about the mistake?"}