The Office of the Attorney General is aware of the details included in today’s indictment of Robert Menendez, a sitting United States Senator for this State. The allegations are deeply disturbing to me and my Office, and we are already in the process of reviewing the concerns raised by the indictment.

As the now unsealed indictment makes clear, there are allegations that Menendez attempted to pressure a senior member of this Office under a prior administration. The conduct alleged in the indictment occurred prior to my tenure as Attorney General, and involved a matter that was resolved prior to my time in office. My Office has cooperated fully with the Southern District of New York’s investigation. We will continue to do so. We are also engaged in our own independent internal inquiry into the allegations set forth in the indictment.

It is a privilege to hold public office in service to the people one represents. Any individual who uses their public office to enrich themselves rather than selflessly serve the public does so at great cost to the public and to all public servants. Self-serving misconduct by a public official betrays a sacred oath, corrupts faith in government, frays the delicate trust the public has in those who serve it, deprives our residents of the honest services to which they are entitled, and dishonors and undermines the good work of the countless dedicated public servants who come to work each day honoring their oaths. Plain and simple, these are not victimless crimes.

Public corruption at any level will not be tolerated by me or my Office. We remain steadfast in our commitment to root out corruption wherever it occurs.

###