These Allies And Rising Stars Are Giving Back Or Donating Menedez PAC Money

This includes both his allies in the Senate and rising stars in New Jersey politics. Menendez, along with his wife and three businessmen, was indicted on bribery charges last month, leading to calls for his resignation from over half of Senate Democrats and many prominent Democrats in New Jersey.

However, Menendez maintains his innocence and refuses to step down. Despite this, many of his former allies are distancing themselves from him.

The Hill reached out to more than two dozen lawmakers who received campaign donations from Menendez's leadership PAC this year and during the 2021-22 election cycle. At least 10 of them confirmed that they will be returning the money. Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the first to publicly announce that he would be returning Menendez PAC money. A spokesperson for Fetterman stated, "We are in the process of returning the money...in envelopes stuffed with $100 bills."

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Prosecutors have accused Menendez and his wife of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for interfering with criminal investigations and advocating for the interests of the Egyptian government. During a raid last year, authorities discovered hundreds of thousands of dollars hidden in their house, along with gold bars.

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October 09, 2023

While some lawmakers, like Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, argue that Menendez should be given the benefit of the doubt until proven guilty, others have chosen to distance themselves from the indicted senator. Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico intends to donate the $5,000 he received in March 2023 to a local nonprofit.

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Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania has donated the $10,000 he received in April to Common Cause Pennsylvania, an organization that advocates for voting access and government accountability. Senator Jon Tester of Montana has donated $10,000 in campaign donations to veterans charities in Montana. Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada has also donated the $10,000 she received last year to Nevada nonprofits. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut has stated that he will give the $10,000 he received to an appropriate charity.

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In the House, Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware, who is running for Senate, is in the process of returning the $2,500 she received in June. Several members of the New Jersey congressional delegation, including Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman, have also stated that they will be returning campaign donations received from Menendez. Representative Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey is donating the $5,000 she received last year to New Jersey charities that serve families experiencing homelessness. Representative Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey has donated $10,000 in last year's contributions to the Democratic Party.

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However, there are lawmakers who have benefited from Menendez's fundraising who have not yet made a decision regarding the money. Representative Bill Pascrell of New Jersey, who received $2,500 in the 2020 cycle and another $5,000 ahead of his 2022 election, has stated that his campaign will not accept any further donations from Menendez in light of the federal charges brought against him. Several Democratic senators who received $10,000 from Menendez's PAC during the 2021-22 cycle have not responded to questions about returning the money.

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It is worth noting that in 2015, Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado donated a $10,000 donation he received in 2010 from Menendez's leadership PAC to veterans charities when Menendez was facing charges of running a bribery scheme. The case ended in a mistrial in 2017.

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While some lawmakers have been quick to distance themselves from Menendez, others have been slower to make a decision. Michael Muller, a New Jersey Democratic strategist, suggests that the relatively slow trickle of commitments to return PAC money compared to the calls for Menendez's resignation is due to the need for internal political conversations.