Republican Congressman Defends Democrat Senator Facing Bribery Charges
Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) has spoken out in defense of Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), insisting the senator who was recently charged with bribery should not feel compelled to resign unless he is found guilty in a court of law.
Mr. Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez, were charged last week with accepting bribes from three New Jersey businessmen in exchange for using their position to protect these three businessmen and benefit the government of Egypt. Since being charged, Mr. Menendez has relinquished his chairmanship in the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee but he has refused to resign his senate seat.
Mr. Santos reached across the aisle to defend the Democrat senator, saying it’s important that Mr. Menendez is allowed due process and the ability to defend himself from the allegations.
“He’s innocent until proven guilty,” Mr. Santos added. “This—the media has to stop acting like everybody is guilty before they are even judged at by a jury. So no, I think everybody is innocent until proven guilty. When did we walk away from the fabric of our Constitution that everybody has a presumption of innocence?”
Mr. Santos shared a post on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter, reiterating that he believes the government has the burden of proving its case.
“I don’t care if you are a Rep or Dem we are all afforded the same constitutional rights!” Mr. Santos wrote.
Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) looks on as the U.S. House of Representatives convenes for the 118th Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 3, 2023. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
Mr. Menendez was previously charged in a federal corruption case in 2015. The New Jersey Senate Democrat was accused of taking nearly $1 million in gifts and campaign contributions from a doctor in exchange for taking actions that benefitted the doctor, such as helping to advance a visa application for the doctor’s girlfriend. After a 2018 trial, a jury was unable to reach a verdict against Mr. Menendez and a judge dismissed some of his charges while federal prosecutors dropped the rest.
Santos Facing His Own Charges
Mr. Santos offered his support for Mr. Menendez as he faces his own set of federal criminal charges.
In May, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York accused Mr. Santos of committing unemployment insurance fraud, using campaign funds for personal expenses, and providing Congress with false information about his sources of income.
Like Mr. Menendez, Mr. Santos has refused to resign and has vowed to clear his name of the charges against him.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), has decided not to demand Mr. Santos’s resignation, explaining that he would take away the freshman Republican’s committee assignments, but allow him to remain seated until he has had a trial.
“If a person is indicted, they’re not on committees, they have the right to vote, but they have to go to trial,” Mr. McCarthy said in May.
Mr. McCarthy said this standard of allowing Mr. Santos to serve in Congress until he is found guilty is the same standard given to Mr. Menendez and former Nebraska Republican congressman Jeff Fortenberry when they faced federal criminal charges.
Mr. Fortenberry was charged with facilitating illegal campaign contributions and making false statements to federal investigators. He was convicted last year in a federal court in California. Mr. McCarthy called on Mr. Fortenberry to resign after the verdict and the Nebraska Republican left office on March 31, 2022.
Though he did not demand Mr. Santos’s resignation, Mr. McCarthy ruled out supporting Mr. Santos should he seek reelection.
Some Democrats Seek Resignations Before Trial
In February, before Mr. Santos was ever formally charged, several House Democrats introduced a resolution to force his expulsion. The expulsion resolution gained momentum after Mr. Santos was officially charged, but the Republican House majority instead decided to defer on the expulsion over to a House ethics panel, essentially sidelining the effort to remove Mr. Santos. The move to refer the expulsion resolution over to the House ethics panel passed along party lines, with 221 Republicans supporting the referral while 204 Democrats opposed the decision.
Some Democrats are already calling on Mr. Menendez to resign from his Senate seat.
Democrat New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is among those who have called for Mr. Menendez to resign.
“Under our legal system, Senator Menendez and the other defendants have not been found guilty and will have the ability to present evidence disputing these charges, and we must respect the process,” Mr. Murphy said. “However, the alleged facts are so serious that they compromise the ability of Senator Menendez to effectively represent the people of our state. Therefore, I am calling for his immediate resignation.”
After Mr. Menendez insisted he would not resign from his Senate seat, Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) launched a campaign to primary his fellow Democrat.
“After calls to resign, Senator Menendez said ‘I am not going anywhere.’ As a result, I feel compelled to run against him. Not something I expected to do, but NJ deserves better,” Mr. Kim announced on Saturday.
Not all Democrats in Congress are calling for Mr. Menendez to step down. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.)—who supported the resolution to expel Mr. Santos—called the charges against Mr. Menendez “very concerning” but stopped short of demanding his resignation.
“Under our legal system, Senator Menendez maintains the presumption of innocence until proven guilty,” Ms. Watson Coleman said in a Saturday press statement. “I pray for the Senator and hope he will make the right decision, one that is in the best interests of the State and all New Jerseyans.”
Why is it important for society to uphold the principle of “innocent until proven guilty” in today’s media landscape?
Nt should respect the legal process and refrain from making any hasty judgments or demands for resignation. He emphasized the importance of upholding the principle of “innocent until proven guilty” and expressed his concern about the erosion of this principle in today’s media landscape.
The charges against Senator Menendez stem from allegations that he accepted bribes from three businessmen in exchange for using his position to protect their interests and benefit the government of Egypt. While these accusations are serious, it is crucial to remember that Senator Menendez is entitled to a fair trial and the opportunity to defend himself against these charges.
By defending Senator Menendez, Congressman Santos demonstrates a commitment to the principles of due process and fairness. He recognizes that a person should not be deemed guilty based solely on allegations or media speculation. Instead, he advocates for a systematic evaluation of the evidence and a proper judicial review before passing judgment.
The presumption of innocence is a cornerstone of our legal system and an essential protection for individuals facing criminal charges. It ensures that individuals are not stigmatized or treated unfairly before their guilt is established beyond a reasonable doubt. Congressman Santos rightly asserts that we must adhere to this principle and afford Senator Menendez the opportunity to prove his innocence or guilt in a court of law.
In an era where public opinion is often shaped by sensationalized media coverage and social media speculation, Congressman Santos’s defense of Senator Menendez serves as a reminder of the importance of due process and fair treatment for all individuals accused of crimes, regardless of their political affiliation. It is essential for our society to respect the legal system and allow it to run its course before rushing to judgment or demanding immediate resignations.
As the legal proceedings against Senator Menendez unfold, it is crucial that the public maintains a measured and objective perspective. Only through a fair and thorough examination of the evidence can the truth be determined. Until then, it is imperative that we respect the legal process and afford Senator Menendez the presumption of innocence that he, like any other citizen, deserves.
