Most New Jersey voters say Sen. Robert Menendez (D., N.J.) should resign over federal corruption charges filed against him, a new poll and interviews with voters in the Garden State show.
Fifty-three percent of voters polled said Menendez should resign versus 39 percent who indicated he should stay in office. Forty-three percent of Democratic voters in the state believe he should go, compared with 62 percent of Republicans who think he should resign.
"Senator Robert Menendez, facing federal corruption charges, should quit, voters say," said Quinnipiac University Poll assistant director Maurice Carroll in a prepared statement. "They split over whether what he did was illegal or simply unethical. But they think the prosecutors’ charges were based on fact, not prompted by politics."
Menendez was indicted on federal corruption charges in April. He was charged with bribery, conspiracy, fraud, and making false statements on government documents.
The charges stem from his friendship with Dr. Salomon Melgen, a wealthy Florida ophthalmologist and political donor, who lavished the senator with gifts and flights aboard his private jet. Menendez is accused of using his position to help Melgen.
Menendez has denied any wrongdoing and has pleaded not guilty.
Menendez did not respond to a request for comment by the Washington Free Beacon.
A majority of voters also say Menendez is not honest and trustworthy. Forty-eight percent of voters responded no when asked, "Would you say that Robert Menendez is honest and trustworthy or not?," compared to 25 percent who said yes.