Robert Menendez

A Senator and a Representative from New Jersey. Born in New York, N. Y. , on January 1, 1954. Graduated from Union Hill High School, Union City, N. J. , 1972. B. A. , Saint Peter's College, Jersey City, N. J. , 1976. J. D. , Rutgers University School of Law, Newark, N. J. , 1979. Lawyer, private practice. Member of the Union City, N. J. , board of education 1974-1978, and chief financial officer 1978-1982. Mayor of Union City, N. J. , 1986-1992. Member of the New Jersey state general assembly 1987-1991. Member of the New Jersey state senate 1991-1993. Elected as a Democrat to the One Hundred Third and to the six succeeding Congresses, and served from January 3, 1993, to January 16, 2006, when he resigned to become a U. S. Senator. Chair, House Democratic Caucus (One Hundred Eighth through One Hundred Ninth Congresses). Appointed on January 17, 2006, to the United States Senate to fill vacancy caused by resignation of Jon S. Corzine. Service began on January 17, 2006, and took the oath of office on January 18, 2006. Elected to the U. S. Senate in 2006 for the term commencing January 3, 2007. Reelected in 2012, and again in 2018, and served from January 17, 2006, until his resignation on August 20, 2024. Indicted by a federal grand jury in 2015 on charges of bribery, conspiracy, and false statements. The subsequent trial ended in a hung jury and the Justice Department subsequently dropped all charges. Indicted in 2023 on separate charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, fraud, extortion, and failing to register as a foreign agent. Later charged with obstruction of justice, and was convicted in 2024 on multiple felony counts. Subsequently resigned from the Senate on August 20, 2024, and was sentenced in January 2025 to 11 years in prison. Chair, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (2008-2011), Committee on Foreign Relations (One Hundred Thirteenth Congress [February 1, 2013-January 3, 2015], One Hundred Seventeenth and One Hundred Eighteenth Congresses [January 3, 2021-September 27, 2023]).