Ana Navarro: Menendez to Stay Put Despite ’99 Senators’ Urging Resignation

Political commentator Ana Navarro told CNN on Tuesday that Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., won’t resign even if every other member of the Senate calls for him to step down following his indictment on bribery charges.

“Whether I think he should or not, I think there’s a moot point because I don’t think he … will,” Navarro said. “I think 99 senators will come out and ask him to resign and he wouldn’t.”

She added that of all the calls for him to resign, “The one that probably does sting a lot is Cory Booker,” the junior senator from New Jersey and a fellow Democrat.

“Cory Booker stood by Menendez in the last indictment,” Navarro said, “the last file proceedings, testified, was a character witness for Menendez and I know that they have a very strong bond.”

She went on to say, “I don’t think he [Menendez] sees resigning as anything but giving up or an admission of guilt.”

Navarro also noted that “Being in the Senate allows him to continue fundraising and having a legal defense fund that becomes much more difficult if you resign.”

Menendez recently told supporters during a rally in Union City that “when all of the facts are presented, not only will I be exonerated, but I will still be New Jersey’s senior senator.”

He added, “Remember, prosecutors get it wrong sometimes. Sadly, I know that. Instead of waiting for all the facts to be presented, others have rushed to judgment, because they see a political opportunity for themselves or those around them. All I humbly ask for in this moment … is to pause and to allow all the facts to be presented.”