Bob Menendez Goes Independent!

Embattled New Jersey senator Bob Menendez becomes an independent.

You have five U.S. senators who are independent. New Jersey senator Bob Menendez will become an independent and will run for reelection as one.

Winners and losers of 2024.

He is facing criminal charges for bribery and failing to acknowledge his foreign affairs with the government.

Menendez is reportedly sending a friend to deliver his petitions to the New Jersey Division of Elections. He can’t go himself because he’s on day 12 of his trial, where he’s facing charges of allegedly accepting gold bars and cash in exchange for using his influence to aid three New Jersey businessmen.

The three-term senator doesn’t have any campaign staff, and has picked himself to run his independent Senate bid, according to the Globe.

Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ) is running for the same Senate seat, and is on track to win the Democratic primary on Tuesday. Both candidates are supporters of Israel and refuse to hold the apartheid ethnostate accountable.

“Americans are fed up with politicians putting their own personal benefit ahead of what’s right for the country,” Kim said in a statement. “Everyone knows Bob Menendez isn’t running for the people of New Jersey, he’s doing it for himself. It’s beyond time for change and I’m stepping up to restore integrity back into the U.S. Senate.”

Menendez’s Senate office did not respond to a request for comment on why he is running for reelection in this midst of his trial.

Tiffany Muller, president of End Citizens United/Let America Vote, a pro-democracy nonprofit, said her group is standing solidly with Kim, who “has been at the forefront of the fight to root out corruption” in politics.

“Corruption will officially be on the ballot in New Jersey this November,” Muller said in a statement. “Senator Menendez has disgraced the office and betrayed the people of New Jersey.”

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) has previously called on Menendez to resign amid his corruption scandal. Asked for comment on Monday about Menendez’s decision to run as an independent, Fetterman’s office provided this response:

Fetterman, a constant nuisance to the progressive wing of the party has often attacked members and plans on being like Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) and Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV) in voting on issues.

Manchin recently announced he will be an independent. Menendez, Manchin, Sinema, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Sen. Angus King (I-ME) caucus with the Democrats.

Menendez is the father of MSNBC host Alicia Menendez.