Some who've known Menendez for years, though, point to his resilience and said he won't be going anywhere without a fight, for now.
Menendez was appointed to be a U.S. senator in 2006 when the seat opened up after incumbent Jon Corzine became governor. He was elected outright in 2006 and again in 2012 and 2018. He served as chair of the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee beginning in 2013, but lost that post after the earlier indictment. He regained the position after federal prosecutors did not renew charges in that case, which ended in a mistrial.
"People have underestimated Bob Menendez continuously throughout his career and have almost always been surprised at the end when he emerges victorious," said Benjamin Dworkin, director of the Rowan Institute for Public Policy & Citizenship. In Congress, Menendez has been a vocal advocate for overhauling the immigration system, securing abortion rights and supporting key Biden administration policies, like the 2021 Inflation Reduction Act.
The first time Menendez was indicted, authorities said he used his political influence to help a Florida eye doctor who gave him lavish gifts and campaign contributions.