Bob Menendez, private citizen, officially resigned from the U.S. Senate on Tuesday without any fanfare, Save Jerseyans. No floor speech or dramatic statements. No prepared defense on social media. In fact, neither of his X accounts show activity for several weeks.
Before entering Congress, Menendez entered the General Assembly in 1988 and, in 1991, he won a special election and joined the State Senate. His relatively short tenure in Trenton earned him a pension, and one North Jersey legislator wants to take it away from the disgraced Democrat.
Aura Dunn is sponsor of A4430, legislation which would divest any elected official of his or her pension “who is convicted of a crime under the laws of this State, or of an offense under the laws of another state or the United States, for misconduct occurring during the member’s service in an elective or appointive public office or position which involves or touches the office or position and renders the service dishonorable.”
Menendez also served as mayor of Union City; since 2019, he’s drawn a pension worth $1,066 per month in addition to $139,200 to serve as Senator until thist week’s resignation
“Bob Menendez used his position as a Senator to line his pockets, apparently quite literally, while doling out political favors,” Assemblywoman Dunn (R-25). “His actions are a disgrace to the esteemed offices he occupied and he should not receive one more tax dollar from the constituents’ whose trust he has finally and completely shattered.”
Menendez was convicted last month on no less than 16 federal charges including bribery and acting as an unregistered foreign agent. His sentencing is scheduled for October 29, 2024.
“In his pursuit of corrupt power and wealth, he forfeited it all, including his legacy,” Dunn said. “No one who abuses his or her office in such a way should ever expect to receive benefits for a service which is marred by criminal acts.”
