(The Center Square) — New Jersey Republicans are renewing a push to strip "corrupt" elected officials of their state pensions following the conviction of Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez on federal bribery charges.
The proposal would revoke public pensions for New Jersey government officials and employees convicted of committing a crime while in office. It was initially filed following Menendez's indictment on Sept. 22 on bribery and corruption charges.
On Tuesday, a New York City jury convicted Menendez of 16 counts of bribery, extortion, fraud and acting as a foreign agent. Federal prosecutors accused Menendez and his wife, Nadine, of accepting gold, cash, a Mercedes Benz and other bribes in exchange for using his political influence to benefit the Egyptian and Qatari governments and business associates in New Jersey.
Under current law, Menendez will still be able to collect more than $200,000 in public pension payments over the next 20 years despite his conviction. The Democrat is also eligible for a nearly $50,000 pension from his days as a state lawmaker and mayor of Union City.
Regardless of Menendez's conviction, he will continue to collect that pension, according to the bill's sponsor, state Sen. Declan O’Scanlon, R-Little Silver. But the bill, if approved, would revoke pensions for public officials who are criminally convicted in the future.
“Had this legislation received the attention it deserved when it was first introduced, we wouldn’t have to worry about corrupt public officials like Bob Menendez benefitting from taxpayer dollars," O’Scanlon said in a statement. "In light of the Menendez conviction, it is imperative that we pass this legislation now to prevent any further abuse of our pension system from corrupt public officials in the future."
Menendez has pleaded not guilty to the charges and vows to appeal the ruling. He has refused to step down from office despite repeated calls from top Democrats, including New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Sen. Cory Booker.
Murphy, who would pick Menendez’s replacement to serve the remainder of his term, has called on the Senate leadership to hold a vote to expel the embattled lawmaker from serving the remainder of his term.
Menendez has vowed to run for reelection as an independent despite Rep. Andy Kim winning the Democratic Party's nomination to run for his Senate seat in November.
Republican lawmakers proposed a similar pension reform bill in 2008 in response to child pornography charges against a fellow lawmaker who he says is collecting a state pension despite his conviction.
Democrats, who have a supermajority in the state Legislature, have refused to support the proposed reforms , O’Scanlon said.
New Jersey Republicans have also filed a proposal to toughen the state's criminal sanctions for bribery convictions in response to the charges against Menendez.
"If the Legislature refuses to move this bill, as it has for the last sixteen years, it will allow individuals like disgraced Senator Bob Menendez to continue leeching off of New Jersey taxpayers," O'Scanlon said. "This kind of reform is long overdue and should have been enacted years ago, but failing to act now will be a slap in the face to taxpayers."
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