Democratic senator from NJ to resign after bribery conviction, report says

UPDATE: Includes reporting on Menendez's reaction to the report

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez has finally begun to talk privately of resigning after his conviction on federal bribery and corruption charges, NBC News first reported on Wednesday evening.

Menendez started calling his closest allies a day after a jury returned its verdict, according to NBC News reporter Julie Tsirkin on X.

CBS News followed up with a statement from Menendez denying that he had resigned or that he had spoken to allies, although he did not clearly state that resignation was out of the question.

In the Senate, 44 Democrats — out of 47 — have now called on him to resign.

“I have never violated my public oath. I have never been anything but a patriot of my country and for my country," Menendez had repeatedly told reporters, even after his Tuesday conviction.  

RELATED: NJ gov, top Dems press Menendez after guilty verdict 

Earlier Wednesday, U.S. Senator Cory Booker had announced he was ready to lead expulsion efforts of his fellow Senator, if it came to that. "He must stand up now and leave the Senate,” Booker told media outlets including MSNBC and CNN. 

For months, U.S. Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania had been supportive of expelling Menendez.

Fetterman has repeatedly slammed his fellow Democrat as a “sleazeball” and mocking him in-person as “Gold Bar Bob,” according to the New York Daily News.

In December, Fetterman paid George Santos — freshly expelled as a New York Congressman — to record a Cameo video as an additional way of trolling Menendez.

Replacement for Menendez?

As resignment buzz grew, state Senate Republican leader Anthony Bucco urged Gov. Phil Murphy to consider appointing a placeholder other than U.S. Rep. Andy Kim — the Democrat running to replace Menendez.

“Appointing candidate Andy Kim to fill this vacancy would put the thumb on the scale - benefiting one candidate before an election, and further eroding what little trust the public still has in its officials after Senator Menendez’s conviction," Bucco said in a statement issued late Wednesday.

Bucco continued "This is the model Governor Christie embraced following the death of Senator Lautenberg, which allowed a fair and honest election to play out for voters.”

Kim easily clinched the Democratic nomination for the race in June, just two months after Tammy Murphy, the governor's wife, ended her own campaign for the seat.

“New Jersey's next senator must focus on the issues of our time and not be mired in tearing others down while dividing the people of our party and state,” the first lady said in March.

One of the candidates that Kim beat in the primary election was progressive Democrat, Patricia Campos-Medina.

"We need fresh voices committed to good governance and a moral compass focused on honesty & transparency," Campos-Medina said Tuesday on X, following Menendez's conviction.

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