Schumer, McConnell decline to comment on Menendez expulsion vote

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) both declined to comment Wednesday on the possibility of voting to expel Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) if he is convicted of bribery, obstruction of justice and other charges.

“He’s on trial so I’m not going to comment,” Schumer told reporters when asked whether he would support expelling Menendez if convicted.

McConnell also declined to comment on a potential expulsion vote if Menendez is convicted.

“Look, I’m really glad he’s not a Republican,” he said.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys on Wednesday finished picking a full jury for Menendez’s trial in federal court in Manhattan.

Legal analysts expect Menendez to try to blame his wife Nadine for withholding information from him that would have revealed the potential criminality of some of his actions.

Menendez has predicted that he will be exonerated but most of the Senate Democratic conference has called on him to resign.

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) has led the calls to expel Menendez from the Senate but that proposal has gotten little support from senators, who argue their colleague deserves his day in court.