Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., will resign next month after he was found guilty on all 16 counts in a federal bribery and corruption trial.
Menendez officially informed Gov. Phil Murphy of his decision in a letter Tuesday.
Two sources familiar with the matter said earlier Tuesday that Menendez had informed some of his staff members of his plans.
Nearly every Democratic senator, as well as House members and other key elected officials in New Jersey, had said Menendez needed to resign, making it untenable for him to continue.
The committee said it had notified Menendez and his attorneys that the committee had unanimously voted to open the review.
Menendez has filed to run for re-election as an independent, saying he would continue the campaign if he were exonerated.
He was charged in a separate corruption case that ended in a mistrial in 2018; he had also denied wrongdoing in that case. »