Menendez should listen to critics and step down

In America, a person is presumed innocent, unless found guilty in a court of law. That is true of the poor and the very wealthy, and it is true of New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez. Menendez has been accused of abusing his power, allegedly accepting lavish gifts in return for favors by a powerful committee he chaired. Menendez reportedly accepted large amounts of cash, gold bars, and a luxury car in exchange for protecting a monopoly in Egypt. Police say they found nearly a half million dollars in cash hidden in his home. Menendez has not been found guilty. He hasn’t even gone to trial.  These are merely allegations. But they are damning allegations. That is why Senator Menendez should step down from the Senate seat he has held for three terms. That is not to say he is guilty. But there is a cloud over the New Jersey Senator, and it is not clear he can effectively do his job with that cloud hanging over him. Our elected officials should be held to a higher standard. Holding public office sometimes requires sacrifices, and stepping down would be best for the people he serves. The calls for his resignation are growing, and interestingly the chorus calling for his departure have come mainly from democrats. U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin is the latest to call on Menendez to quit. Regardless of his guilt or innocence, Menendez should step aside for the good of the country.