[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 119 (Tuesday, July 23, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S5159]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         LETTER OF RESIGNATION

  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Chair lays before the Senate a 
communication regarding the resignation of Senator Menendez.
  Without objection, the letter will be printed in the Record and 
spread upon the Journal.
  The letter follows:

                                         United States Senate,

                                    Washington, DC, July 23, 2024.
     Hon. Phil Murphy,
     Governor of New Jersey, Office of the Governor,
     Trenton, NJ.
       Dear Governor Murphy: This is to advise you that I will be 
     resigning from my office as the United States Senator from 
     New Jersey, effective on the close of business on August 20, 
     2024.
       This will give time for my staff to transition to other 
     possibilities, transfer constituent files that are pending, 
     allow for an orderly process to choose an interim 
     replacement, and for me to close out my Senate affairs.
       While I fully intend to appeal the jury's verdict, all the 
     way and including to the Supreme Court, I do not want the 
     Senate to be involved in a lengthy process that will detract 
     from its important work. Furthermore, I cannot preserve my 
     rights upon a successful appeal, because factual matters 
     before the ethics committee are not privileged. This is 
     evidenced by the Committee's Staff Director and Chief Counsel 
     being called to testify at my trial.
       I am proud of the many accomplishments I've had on behalf 
     of New Jersey, such as leading the federal effort for 
     Superstorm Sandy recovery, preserving and funding Gateway and 
     leading the federal efforts to help save our hospitals, State 
     and municipalities, as well as New Jersey families through a 
     once in a century COVID pandemic. These successes led you, 
     Governor, to call me the ``Indispensable Senator.''
       I thank the citizens of New Jersey for the extraordinary 
     privilege of representing them in the United States Senate.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Robert Menendez,
     United States Senator, New Jersey.

                          ____________________