Tensions are rising in the Democrat Party over a growing scandal.
But it just came to a head in this one interview.
And Chuck Schumer was blindsided when John Fetterman flipped on him for this surprising reason.
Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and his wife, Nadine, are facing a federal trial in New York for obstruction of justice, bribery, and corruption charges.
Federal prosecutors allege that Menendez – the former head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee – was bribed by a New Jersey businessman with gold bars, cash, watches, and other gifts to do favors for him and the governments of Egypt and Qatar.
He became the first member of Congress in history to be charged with conspiracy to act as a foreign agent.
Despite this mounting legal woes and corruption scandal, Menendez refused to resign.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and the rest of the Senate Democrat caucus aren’t pressuring him to resign.
This is a stark contrast to House Republicans, who voted to expel George Santos (R-NY) over a criminal investigation that hadn’t even gone to trial.
John Fetterman calls on Menendez to resign
Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) has been the lone Senate Democrat to publicly demand that Menedez resign from office.
He’s picking up the easy win by pushing an obviously corrupt Senate colleague to resign and giving the false appearance of not being a Democrat hack by calling out his own Party over their refusal to force out Menendez.
Fetterman lashed out at his fellow Democrats over defending Menendez in an interview with CNN reporter Manu Raju.
He said it was “clear that my colleagues want to keep him [Menendez] around.”
“And now we have his trial in less than two months and that’s going to handle it,” Fetterman continued.
“What does it say about this institution that he’s still serving in here?” Raju asked.
“I don’t know what it says other than that they’re just okay with having a sleazeball in the Senate,” Fetterman replied.
Schumer keeping Menendez around for political gain
During a panel on CNN’s Inside Politics, Raju wondered why Schumer hadn’t called on Menendez to resign.
“Now, Schumer got beat up over this last week, reporters were pressing him. He’s not only on Foreign Relations, he’s on a national security task force, which is kind of, you know, why is he doing this?” Punchbowl News’ John Bresnahan said. “So I mean, look, he has the right to go in front of a jury and present his case, you know. But there is pressure to have him resign, but leadership is never going to do it, they’re never going to — Schumer is never going to do it.”
Democrats have a slim 51-49 Senate majority and Schumer can’t afford to lose Menendez’s vote in a narrowly divided chamber.
Senate Democrats have members suffering from illness and death during much of this session of Congress.
Facing the potential of losing a moderate member like Joe Manchin (D-WV) on a vote, Schumer is keeping him around in case he needs another vote to confirm a judge or a Presidential nominee.
The media will cover for Schumer on Menendez, who isn’t running for re-election.
Chuck Schumer just has to ride out the rest of the year and his Bob Menendez problem will disappear.
Patriot Political will keep you up-to-date on any developments to this ongoing story.
