Loretta Weinberg Bob Menendez must resign

While much of the nation’s attention has understandably been focused on the White House, one former New Jersey lawmaker thought the president’s decision could be a teachable moment for a certain senior senator from the Garden State.

Retired state Sen. Loretta Weinberg, a veteran Bergen County Democrat, posted a message to Sen. Bob Menendez on X, the platform that had been called Twitter, on Sunday night. The post reads “Sen. Menendez – message to you sent by Pres. Biden on how to behave! Hope you acknowledge receipt.”

In the post, Weinberg referred the fact that President Joe Biden withdrew his bid for re-election after weeks of speculation about his next move from party officials.

Will Bob Menendez stay in the Senate race?

Menendez, convicted on 16 felony charges in federal court earlier this month, is facing calls to resign for the good of the party. His colleagues including — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, New Jersey’s Sen. Cory Booker and Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania have all said it is time for him to step down. Gov. Phil Murphy called on the Senate to expel Menendez if he doesn’t depart on his own.

Shortly after the verdict was announced last week, Menendez vowed to appeal and said he believes “the law and the facts did not sustain that decision.”

NJ senate race:Will Sen. Bob Menendez remain defiant and stay as an independent candidate?

His Senate seat is on the ballot this fall but his current term runs through the end of the year. Menendez did not engage in what was at times a highly contentious primary for the Democratic nomination for this year’s senatorial election but is still on the ballot.

He filed in June — during the trial — to run as an independent. The Democratic candidate on the ballot this fall will be Rep. Andy Kim — the Burlington County congressman who has an outspoken critic of Menendez and who declared his candidacy one day after the senator was indicted. Menendez and Kim will both face Republican hotelier Curtis Bashaw.

Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: sobko@northjersey.com