Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) is filing to run for reelection as an independent in the midst of his federal corruption trial, the New Jersey Globe reported Monday.
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-N.J.) is running for the same Senate seat, and is on track to win the Democratic primary on Tuesday.
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:
