Menendez was indicted on criminal bribery charges Friday.
Topline
New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez maintained his innocence and said he would not resign following a federal indictment on bribery charges, as he spoke publicly for the first time Monday at a press conference amid growing calls for the three-term senator to resign.Key Facts
Menendez acknowledged how serious the allegations brought against him last week were and described the impending battle against the charges as the “biggest fight yet.”
He asked for the presumption of innocence until he is proven guilty and claimed some politicians were setting aside that presumption for “political expediency.”
Menendez said people are rushing to judge based on a limited set of facts “framed by the prosecution to be as salacious as possible,” adding that “prosecutors get it wrong.”
He also addressed some of the specific claims prosecutors made when they announced charges, including the large sums of cash found in Menendez’s home, saying that for 30 years he has withdrawn cash from his personal savings account based on income he lawfully earned.
