Ana Navarro, a co-host of ABC’s “The View,” was visibly upset Monday while reacting to the federal indictment of Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), whom she has known for decades.
“I can tell you I have worked with him time and time again, brought many wealthy clients to him, brought many issues in front of him. Never has there been any hint of improprieties. Never has he hinted about a payback or anything like that,” Navarro said, her voice cracking at one point. “So, I’m having a very hard time reconciling the evidence I saw shown on TV with the Bob Menendez I have known for almost 30 years. This is personally hard for me, but, you know, when I saw all the evidence … I’m shaken. I’m hoping against hope that there is some sort of logical explanation.”
Menendez was indicted Friday on federal bribery charges, with prosecutors alleging he and his wife took “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in bribes in exchange for using his “power and influence” to enrich a trio of New Jersey businessmen.
During a press conference Monday morning, Menendez said he has no plans to resign despite growing calls for him to do so.
“I recognized that this will be the biggest fight yet,” the senator said. “But as I have stated through this whole process, I firmly believe that when all of the facts are presented, not only will I be exonerated, but I will still be New Jersey’s senior senator.”
Before launching a career as a pundit and television news personality, Navarro was a political operative in national Republican politics, including working as a close adviser to former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
She said she does not expect Menendez to resign.
“He’s thinking ‘I can fight this’,” she said.