Fetterman claimed that if Rep. Santos got kicked out of Congress, then Menendez also deserves an ouster

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn., said Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., needs to be expelled from the U.S. Senate, quipping that he’s more of a “Senator from Egypt, not New Jersey,” on Friday on ABC’s “The View.”

The freshman lawmaker from Pennsylvania made the claim in the context of the recent expulsion of Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., from the House of Representatives, noting that if Santos deserves to be kicked out of Congress, then Menendez does, too, after being federally charged for participating in a bribery scheme.

Co-host Joy Behar prompted Fetterman’s take-down of Menendez by bringing up Santos’ ouster, which happened within hours of the episode airing.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn., mentions that Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., should be ousted from the U.S. Senate. (Screenshot/ABC)

She stated, “You might have heard that Congress just expelled George Santos.”

“Yeah, yeah, Santos,” Fetterman replied.

“And you’ve also been calling for – to get rid of Menendez, I know. But first, before we talk about that, what’s your reaction to the expulsion?” Behar asked.

“Well, I’m not surprised,” Fetterman replied.

Santos was expelled by Congress in a 311 to 114 vote on the House floor Friday morning. The embattled lawmaker has been indicted on 23 counts related to wire fraud, identity theft, falsification of records, credit card fraud, and other charges. He’s been accused of using campaign funds on a number of luxury goods and treatments such as botox. He has pleaded not guilty.

However, Fetterman quickly turned his attention to Menendez, stating, “But to me, I think the more important picture is that we have a colleague in the Senate that has actually did more sinister and serious kinds of things. Senator Menendez. He needs to go!”

Sen. John Fetterman is one of multiple Democratic Party senators who have called Sen. Bob Menendez to resign from the U.S. Senate. (Bill Clark/Getty Images and Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Continuing to compare the two, the Senator said, “And if you are going to expel Santos, how can you allow somebody like Menendez to remain in the Senate?”

“And you know, Santos’ lies were almost funny, and like he, you know, landed on the moon. That kinda stuff. Whereas, you know, Menendez I think is really a Senator for Egypt, not New Jersey.”

According to charges brought by federal prosecutors, since 2018, three businessmen have collectively paid hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes — including cash, gold, a Mercedes-Benz and other things of value — in exchange for Menendez agreeing to use his power and influence to protect and enrich them and to benefit the government of Egypt.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey and his wife Nadine Menendez arrive to the federal courthouse in New York, Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023.  (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Fetterman was one of more than a dozen Senate Democrats that have called on the senator to resign.

“So I really think he needs to go, and uh, especially it’s kind of strange that if Santos is not allowed to remain in the House, you know, someone like that…” Fetterman told the “The View” co-hosts.

Sen. Menendez’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.