In his first interview since he was indicted on charges related to alleged bribery and allegedly acting as a foreign agent for Egypt, Sen. Bob Menendez on Thursday joined David Cruz on Chat Box for an exclusive interview.

New Jersey’s senior senator discussed the indictments and the impact they are having.

“The easiest thing for me to do would be to resign,” Menendez said. “And then I wouldn’t have to go through all of the negativity; I wouldn’t have to go through all of the press; I wouldn’t have to go through the disapproval of others. But that’s not me. I don’t do the easiest thing. And the reality is, is that I’m innocent. … I’m innocent and I’m going to prove it.”

“And when the facts are fully known, I trust New Jerseyans to be able to see through what has happened so far and to see what the truth is,” Menendez said.

Menendez also addressed what role he can play in the Senate, in the context of multiple crises, including the Israel-Hamas war and Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Watch Chat Box on NJ Spotlight News and the NJ Spotlight News YouTube channel Thursdays at 6 p.m., and on NJ PBS Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. and Sundays at 10:30 a.m.