Senate Ethics Committee starts review of Sen. Bob Menendez’s conduct following bribery conviction

The Senate Ethics Committee said Monday that its members had voted unanimously to review allegations that Sen. Bob Menendez violated Senate rules, building towards potential disciplinary actions against the New Jersey Democrat after he was convicted of bribery charges this month.

The ethics panel could recommend that Menendez be censured or expelled, which would put maximum pressure on the senator to resign or pave the way for the Senate to hold a vote on his expulsion. It requires a two-thirds vote for the Senate to expel a member.

A New Jersey jury this month found Menendez, 70, guilty of accepting bribes of gold and cash from three New Jersey businessmen and acting as a foreign agent for the Egyptian government. The senator has said he plans to appeal the verdict and given no indication he will resign, despite widespread calls from fellow Democrats that he step down.

Menendez’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Senate Ethics Committee’s action Monday.

The committee said in a statement that once it completes the review, it “will move expeditiously to submit a written report to the Senate including specific findings and any recommendations for disciplinary action.”