New Jersey's embattled senior U.S senator says he's not going anywhere in his first public remark since being indicted three days ago on federal bribery and Corruption charges a defiant Senator Bob Menendez today vowed to remain in office despite pressure to resign and predicted he'd be cleared of any wrongdoing Governor Phil Murphy and other top Democrats have called for Menendez to step aside while the case plays out a stark contrast from the party support received by the senator during his Federal corruption trial six years ago equally as meaningful is the Silence from other New Jersey Democrats on the allegations Senator Corey Booker is so far remaining quiet about the indictment Menendez today defended what he called his long-standing record of public service but made no mention of those gold bars senior political correspondent David Cruz reports good morning it was a low-key Bob Menendez surrounded by local residents no elected officials who met the Press today taking no questions but still defiant against prosecutors and fellow Democrats a Cornerstone of the foundation of American democracy and our justice system is the principle that all people are presumed innocent until proven guilty all people I asked for nothing more and deserve nothing less the court of public opinion is no substitute for our Revere justice system we cannot set aside the presumption of innocence for political expediency when the harm is irrevocable the senator made no reference to those quote digging my political grave as he has in the past instead he chastised those including the governor and other Democratic Party leaders by inference if not by name for jumping ship and calling for him to resign to those who have rushed to judgment you have done so based on a limited set of facts framed by the prosecution to be as salacious as possible remember prosecutors get it wrong sometimes sadly I know that instead of waiting for all the facts to be presented others have rushed to judgment because they see a political opportunity for themselves or those around them the senator didn't take any questions but gave a few hints as to what kind of strategy he may employ in his defense including a lengthy explanation of his criticism of the government of and his support for human rights in Egypt to whose government prosecutors allege he passed sensitive information but the cash almost half a million dollars found in pockets and closets what about that the Senator's explanation strange credulity with many observers for 30 years I have withdrawn thousands of dollars in cash from my personal savings account which I have kept for emergencies and because of the history of my family facing confiscation in Cuba now this may seem old-fashioned but these were monies drawing from my personal savings account based on the income that I have lawfully derived over those 30 years you know I I think this is something this is now his second Federal indictment within the past decade and unfortunately I think it's a sign that you know absolute power corrupts absolutely um and in times like these and and in fact you know it seems like a lot of this started on the heels of his mistrial several years ago with very little Gap in between whether or not it drags down other Democrats I I think there is enough separation uh between the Menendez story and then all of the other issues that are going on that could either hinder or help Democrats within the state it's the Here We Go Again aspect of all this that has top Democrats calling for Menendez to step down and has already prompted two party members Congressman Andy Kim and activist Larry Hamm to announce primary challenges with others including house members Josh gottheimer and Mikey Cheryl perhaps waiting in the wings for a man prone to using precise language the senator did not specifically say today whether he expected to run for re-election a spokesperson told us today wasn't the day for that but with a war chest of over seven million dollars it seems clear that Senator Bob Menendez is ready to go to war in Union City I'm David Cruz NJ Spotlight news [Music] [Music]