Bob Menendez

Bob Menendez
Official portrait, 2022
United States Senator from New Jersey
Incumbent
Assumed office January 17, 2006 Serving with Cory Booker
Preceded by	Jon Corzine
Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
In office February 3, 2021 – September 22, 2023
Preceded by	Jim Risch
Succeeded by	Ben Cardin
In office February 1, 2013 – January 3, 2015
Preceded by	John Kerry
Succeeded by	Bob Corker
Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
In office February 6, 2018 – February 3, 2021
Preceded by	Ben Cardin
Succeeded by	Jim Risch
In office January 3, 2015 – April 2, 2015
Preceded by	Bob Corker
Succeeded by	Ben Cardin
Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
In office January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2011
Leader	Harry Reid
Preceded by	Chuck Schumer
Succeeded by	Patty Murray
Chair of the House Democratic Caucus
In office January 3, 2003 – January 16, 2006
Leader	Nancy Pelosi
Preceded by	Martin Frost
Succeeded by	Jim Clyburn
Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus
In office January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2003
Leader	Nancy Pelosi
Preceded by	Barbara B. Kennelly
Succeeded by	Jim Clyburn
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 13th district
In office January 3, 1993 – January 16, 2006
Preceded by	Frank Joseph Guarini
Succeeded by	Albio Sires
Member of the New Jersey Senate from the 33rd district
In office March 4, 1991 – January 3, 1993
Preceded by	Christopher Jackman
Succeeded by	Bernard Kenny
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 33rd district
In office January 12, 1988 – March 4, 1991
Preceded by	Jose Arango Ronald Dario
Succeeded by	Louis Romano
Mayor of Union City
In office May 20, 1986 – November 15, 1992
Preceded by	Arthur Wichert
Succeeded by	Bruce Walter
Personal details
Born	Robert Menendez (1954-01-01) January 1, 1954 (age 70) New York City, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouses	Jane Jacobsen ​ ​ (m. 1976; div. 2005)​ Nadine Arslanian ​ (m. 2020)​
Children	Alicia and Rob 1 stepdaughter
Education	Saint Peter's University (BA) Rutgers University (JD)
Signature
Website	Senate website
Bob Menendez's voice Bob Menendez speaks on the repeal of the 2002 AUMF against Iraq Recorded March 16, 2023

Robert Menendez (/mɛˈnɛndɛz/; born January 1, 1954) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the senior United States senator from New Jersey, a seat he has held since 2006.^[1] A member of the Democratic Party, he was first appointed to the U.S. Senate by Governor Jon Corzine, and chaired the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations from 2013 to 2015, and again from 2021 to 2023.

In 1974, at the age of 20, Menendez was elected to the Union City School District's Board of Education. He received degrees from Saint Peter's University and Rutgers Law School. In 1986, he was elected mayor of Union City. In 1988, while continuing to serve as mayor, he was elected to represent the state's 33rd district in the New Jersey General Assembly and, within three years, moved to the New Jersey Senate, upon winning the March 1991 special election for the 33rd Senate district. The next year, Menendez won a seat in the House of Representatives and represented New Jersey's 13th congressional district for six two-year terms, from 1993 to 2006. In January 2006, he was appointed to fill the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Jon Corzine (who had been elected governor of New Jersey) and was elected to a full six-year term in November; he was reelected in 2012 and 2018.

In 2015, Menendez was indicted on federal corruption charges; the jury was unable to reach a verdict, and the charges were dropped in 2018. In April 2018, the United States Senate Select Committee on Ethics "severely admonished" Menendez for accepting gifts from donor Salomon Melgen without obtaining committee approval, for failing to disclose certain gifts, and for using his position as a senator to advance Melgen's interests.

In September 2023, Menendez was again indicted on federal corruption charges that he aided and provided sensitive information to the government of Egypt.^[2][3] He stepped down as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but refused to resign from the Senate and repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, despite calls to resign from numerous state and congressional Democrats, including 30 of his Senate colleagues. In an October 2023 indictment, Menendez was formally charged with conspiracy to act as a foreign agent of the Egyptian government;^[4] a superseding indictment in January 2024 also accused Menendez of working for the government of Qatar.