Democratic Senator Bob Menendez has been found guilty on all counts in a corruption trial

Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., was found guilty on all counts Monday after being tried on charges of accepting bribes, including cash and gold bars, to benefit the governments of Egypt and Qatar.

Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York whose office prosecuted the case, hailed the verdict, saying Menendez’s “years of selling his office to the higher bidder have finally come to an end.” Menendez had his hands crossed and his chin resting on his hands as some of the verdict was read and didn’t display any emotion. He then shook his head in disagreement as the jurors were polled about the verdict. Some of his family members broke down in tears. He’ll be sentenced Oct. 29.

Two of those businessmen, Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, faced trial alongside Menendez and were convicted on all counts as well. The third businessman who was charged, Jose Uribe, pleaded guilty and testified during the trial, which lasted nine weeks before going to the jury Friday.

Menendez told reporters outside the courthouse he was “deeply, deeply disappointed by the jury’s decision” and predicted, “we will be successful upon appeal.”

“I have never violated my public oath,” he said. He did not answer questions about whether he would resign. Menendez was charged with 16 counts, including bribery, extortion, acting as a foreign agent, obstruction of justice and several counts of conspiracy. He had pleaded not guilty in the case, as did his wife, Nadine Menendez, whose trial was delayed indefinitely following her surgery after a breast cancer diagnosis.

The jury deliberated for about 12 1/2 hours over three days before returning the verdicts.

Prosecutors described Menendez as a “senator on the take” who used his power and influence to benefit his associates and the governments of Egypt and Qatar in exchange for cash, gold bars and a Mercedes-Benz for Nadine, who was also charged but did not stand trial because of a cancer diagnosis.

Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said that “this case has always been about shocking levels of corruption.” He added: “This wasn’t politics as usual. It was politics for profit.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called on Menendez to resign after the jury’s decision. “In light of this guilty verdict, Senator Menendez must now do what is right for his constituents, the Senate, and our country, and resign,” said Schumer. Schumer had previously said he was disappointed in his colleague and that Menendez hadn’t lived up to the high standards expected.

The verdict lands just months before Menendez’s Senate seat comes before New Jersey voters this fall. Menendez decided months ago, as his popularity took a hit, that he wouldn’t seek the Democratic nomination. But he filed to run as an independent, a move that threatened to complicate the dynamics in a race that would ordinarily be a layup for Democrats in the liberal state. The Democratic nominee for the seat is Rep. Andy Kim and the Republican nominee is Curtis Bashaw.

Menendez must now decide whether to continue pursuing that run. In March, he had indicated in a video statement that his candidacy could hinge on whether he’s exonerated of the charges. “I am hopeful that my exoneration will take place this summer and allow me to pursue my candidacy as an independent Democrat in the general election,” Menendez said at the time.

Kim said after the verdict that it was “a sad and somber day for New Jersey and our country.”

“I called on Senator Menendez to step down when these charges were first made public, and now that he has been found guilty, I believe the only course of action for him is to resign his seat immediately. The people of New Jersey deserve better,” Kim said.

It was the second corruption trial of Menendez’s 18-year career in the Senate — the previous one resulted in a mistrial due to a hung jury in 2018, and the Justice Department subsequently dropped the charges against him; Menendez had also denied wrongdoing in that case. Menendez previously served for 13 years in the House.