Sen. Cory Booker calls on Menendez to resign, joining growing list of Senate Democrats

Washington — Sen. Cory Booker called for fellow New Jersey Democrat Bob Menendez to resign from the Senate on Tuesday, joining a growing list of Democrats in the upper chamber who have called on him to step down after his indictment on federal bribery charges. 

In a statement noting his close working relationship and friendship with Menendez, Booker said the allegations in last week's indictment were "hard to reconcile with the person I know." Nonetheless, he said senators "operate in the public trust," which he called "essential to our ability to do our work and perform our duties for our constituents."

"As Senator Menendez prepares to mount his legal defense, he has stated that he will not resign. Senator Menendez fiercely asserts his innocence and it is therefore understandable that he believes stepping down is patently unfair. But I believe this is a mistake," Booker said. "Stepping down is not an admission of guilt but an acknowledgment that holding public office often demands tremendous sacrifices at great personal cost. Senator Menendez has made these sacrifices in the past to serve. And in this case he must do so again. I believe stepping down is best for those Senator Menendez has spent his life serving."