In the days since Sen. Bob Menendez’s stunning indictment on federal bribery charges, a surprising split screen has emerged.
In New Jersey, where there are statehouse elections this November and Democrats could lose their majority in Trenton, party leaders from Gov. Phil Murphy on down have been swift and ruthless in calling for Menendez to resign. He already has a credible 2024 primary opponent in Rep. Andy Kim.
In Washington, it’s a different story. President Joe Biden punted, with White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre telling reporters yesterday that the matter was, in the president’s view, “up to [Menendez] and the Senate leadership to decide.” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and No. 2 leader Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), meanwhile, have already made statements standing by Menendez.
Only three Democratic senators have called for his resignation: Freshmen John Fetterman (Pa.) and Peter Welch (Vt.), plus Sherrod Brown (Ohio), who is in-cycle in a red state. Most everyone else has been quiet since the indictment was unsealed Friday.
But only today will those lawmakers return to Washington to face an inquiring Capitol press corps who will be demanding an answer on the Menendez question.
Many in the Democratic strategist class, who have no senatorial loyalty to Menendez, believe privately that their party is already blowing this by hesitating to cut off a massive political liability that will be used to muddy the waters against Biden and Democratic candidates in House and Senate races
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