New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, 70, currently on trial for corruption, has announced his intention to run as an independent candidate for the U.S. Senate in the Garden State.
Menendez is filing a petition by the end of Monday to get on the U.S. Senate ballot. The deadline to file signatures is 4 p.m. on Tuesday, the same day as New Jersey's partisan primaries.
Independent candidates need 800 signatures to get on the U.S. Senate general election ballot in New Jersey.
Menendez decided not to run in New Jersey's Democratic Senate primary while under indictment.
He announced in March that he wouldn't seek another term as a Democrat but left open the option of running as an independent in November, according to ABC News.
"I will not file for the Democratic primary this June," he said in a video statement at the time.
"I am hopeful that my exoneration will take place this summer and allow me to pursue my candidacy as an independent Democrat in the general election."
In a statement to ABC, Rep. Andy Kim, who is running in the Democratic Senate primary and entered the race last fall in response to Menendez's indictment, told the outlet:
"Everyone knows Bob Menendez isn't running for the people of New Jersey; he's doing it for himself."
Menendez stands accused of accepting cash, gold bars, luxury wristwatches, and other perks from New Jersey businessmen in exchange for official favors that benefited the businessmen as well as the governments of Egypt and Qatar.
The New Jersey politician continues to deny all wrongdoing.
