NEW YORK: US Senator Robert Menendez announced on Tuesday that he will resign next month, following his recent conviction on bribery and corruption charges.
The 70-year-old New Jersey Democrat, in a letter to state Governor Phil Murphy, said he plans to step down on August 20 from the Senate seat he has held since 2006.
The senator was convicted in New York last week of extortion, obstruction of justice and accepting bribes to perform favors for businessmen with connections to Egypt and Qatar.
He will be sentenced on October 29 and could spend the rest of his life in prison.
In his letter, Menendez, the one-time powerful chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he plans to appeal the verdict and was resigning because he does "not want the Senate to be involved in a lengthy process that will detract from its important work."
Menendez has been under pressure from fellow Democrats to resign and his decision to step down will save the party from having to vote to expel him, which would have been an unwanted distraction ahead of the upcoming presidential election.
Murphy, the Democratic governor, said on X that he would name a temporary replacement for Menendez who would serve until the end of his term in January.
Democrats have 51 votes in the 100-member Senate and Menendez's departure could further weaken their narrow hold on the body.
Menendez's wife, Nadine, has also been charged in the case. She is receiving treatment for breast cancer and will be tried separately.
In a raid on the couple's New Jersey home, FBI agents found nearly US$500,000 in cash hidden around the house, as well as gold bars worth around US$150,000 and a luxury Mercedes-Benz convertible.
Democrat Andy Kim and Republican Curtis Bashaw are set to face off in November for the Senate seat.
Menendez has threatened to run in the election as an independent but has not yet made a final decision.--AFP