Democrat New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez resigned from the Senate on Tuesday after he was convicted on federal bribery charges last month.
Menendez was convicted of accepting gold bars and cash to act as an agent for Egypt after FBI agents raided his home and found $480,000 in cash and gold bars.
He let Governor Phil Murphy (D) know he was resigning the same day he was convicted, and last Friday he ended his re-election bid as an independent as well.
Even so, Menendez is appealing his conviction and has started by filing a 30-page motion to dismiss the case.
"The government failed to prove any of the elements of the alleged quid pro quo," his defense said.
Murphy has named his gubernatorial chief of staff George Helmy to finish out Menendez's term until the election can take place.
Democrat Andy Kim and Republican Curtis Bashaw are running for the seat in November.
The seat is probably safe for Democrats, since a Republican has not won in New Jersey in five decades.
Menendez, 70, has been in political office since a few years after his high school graduation, starting with the local board of education and moving to the state legislature and then Congress.
His Senate career started with an appointment in 2006 when then-Senator John Corzine was elected governor. He then was re-elected and has served since.
He was tried for bribery once before in 2015, when he was accused of getting luxury vacations and campaign contributions from a dentist in exchange for favors.
The charges were eventually dropped when the prosecution couldn't prove its case.
The previous charges may have emboldened Menendez to think he could get away with doing the same thing again, assuming he was guilty the first time.
This time, however, he has a different reality to face.
