Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) has strongly criticized his fellow Democrats in the Senate for allowing Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) to continue serving in Congress. Fetterman’s remarks were made in response to the numerous indictments stemming from the alleged bribery scheme involving Menendez, as reported by Fox News.

Menendez was accused of bribery and obstruction of justice, and he pleaded not guilty in Manhattan Federal Court. The investigation into the corruption allegations revealed that Menendez accepted bribes from foreign nationals, including cash, gold bars, and a Mercedes-Benz, in exchange for using his position as a senator to assist the governments of Egypt and Qatar. Menendez and his wife are also facing charges of obstructing justice.

Fetterman expressed his frustration with the situation during an interview with CNN reporter Manu Raju, stating that he is outraged by the Democrats’ failure to remove Menendez from the Senate. This has raised concerns, as Republican former Representative George Santos (R-NY) was recently removed from his seat for much lesser offenses.

“And it‘s been clear that my colleagues want to keep him around, and now we have his trial in less than two months, and that‘s gonna handle it,” Fetterman said.

Raju inquired Fetterman about the implications of Menendez being permitted to continue his senatorial duties, questioning what it signifies for the institution.

“I don’t know what it says other than that they guess they‘re just okay with having a sleazeball in the Senate,” Fetterman said.

John Bresnahan, a journalist from Punchbowl News, took part in a panel conversation discussing Fetterman’s comments on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s leadership. Criticism has been directed at Schumer for allowing Menendez to stay in the Senate and maintain important committee roles.

Nevertheless, Bresnahan highlighted that Schumer and the Democratic Senate leadership do not have the power to remove Menendez from his role. Fetterman has previously referred to Menendez as a “sleazeball.”

“I don’t know why anybody would take a meeting with that sleazeball,” Fetterman told reporters in January.

“And he needs to go.

“I’ve been very clear about that.”

Fetterman, who has advocated for Menendez’s expulsion on multiple occasions, continued by saying:

“We should have chucked him.

“I don’t know why we haven’t chucked him, and I sure hope eventually we do chuck him.”