Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), who pleaded not guilty to federal bribery charges Wednesday, must turn over his personal passport as a condition for his release, multiple reports indicated following the senator’s arraignment in Manhattan.
The New Jersey Democrat will be allowed to keep his official passport to travel abroad while conducting business as a member of Congress, according to the reports by CNN, the Associated Press and Reuters.
Menendez has so far refused calls to resign from his Senate seat, though he did step down from his role as chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee after the charges were made public Friday.
Menendez on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to three charges he took luxurious bribes to help enrich three New Jersey businessmen and benefit Egypt’s government. His bond was set for $100,000.
Menendez was also ordered not to contact any co-defendants, other than his wife, or any Senate staffers who know about the facts of the case outside his lawyers’ presence, The Associated Press reported.
If Menendez resigned, he’d be replaced by a Democrat and most of his colleagues no longer want him in office.
And if he stays and gets primaried, he’s the incumbent.
The same “he’s an incumbent” policy the party used to prop up the anti-choice Henry Cuellar applies here. Unless that policy is just an excuse to shut out progressives.