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total of 27 senators in the 51-member caucus - Democrats and
three independents who typically vote with them - have called
for Menendez's resignation, including No. 2 Senate Democrat Dick
Durbin, the head of the Senate Democrats' campaign arm, Gary
Peters, and Menendez's fellow senator from New Jersey, Cory
Booker.
Chuck Schumer, the Senate's top Democrat, said on Wednesday
Menendez's behavior fell below the standard appropriate for a
senator, but stopped short of calling for him to resign.
Prosecutors have said Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez,
accepted gold bars and hundreds of thousands of dollars in
exchange for using their influence to interfere with law
enforcement probes of three New Jersey businessmen and aid the
Egyptian government.
They pleaded not guilty in court on Wednesday. Menendez said on
Monday he would remain in office and fight the charges.
Menendez's Senate seat is in play in the 2024 elections. Though
New Jersey has not elected a Republican to the Senate since
1972, his legal troubles could pose problems for his party,
which is trying to maintain its narrow control of the chamber.
Menendez has drawn one challenger to the seat so far.
(Reporting by Richard Cowan, Makini Brice and Moira Warburton;
Editing by Jamie Freed)
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