New Jersey Democrat, Senator Robert Menendez, who has been charged with taking bribes in exchange for political influence has denied the accusations and rejected calls for his resignation, New York Times reports.

He made a return to Union City, the very community that catapulted him into political prominence on Monday. His purpose was to provide a decisive response to former allies who have been clamouring for his resignation in light of the federal bribery charges that loom over him. Mr Menendez’s unequivocal answer was a resounding “No.”

Addressing the gathered audience at a news conference held at a nearby community college, close to his childhood home as the child of Cuban refugees, Mr Menendez emphatically stated, “The allegations made against me are merely that—allegations.”

He acknowledged that this battle would be his most significant one yet, expressing his belief that once the judicial process reached its conclusion, he not only anticipated exoneration but also expected to retain his position as New Jersey’s senior senator.

Mr Menendez, 69, delivered his message in both English and Spanish, reiterating much of what he had said immediately after the indictment was unveiled. He exuded confidence in the favourable resolution of the case and called for patience, urging all to await the presentation of all the facts.

He also took a swipe at the prosecutors, asserting that they had crafted the narrative to be as sensational as possible. Behind him stood approximately two dozen individuals whom he referred to as “ordinary people and constituents who know me.”

In a somewhat anticlimactic conclusion, Mr Menendez departed without entertaining any questions from the press corps. He remained unresponsive to their queries regarding the alleged gifts, including gold bars and a Mercedes-Benz, which prosecutors contend were given to him as bribes.

This public appearance marked the first time Mr Menendez had surfaced since federal prosecutors in Manhattan unveiled a 39-page indictment on Friday.

The indictment accused him and his wife, Nadine Menendez, of accepting substantial sums in bribes, totalling hundreds of thousands of dollars. In return, they were purportedly wielding their political influence to benefit the government of Egypt and business associates in New Jersey.

During a search conducted in June 2022, investigators discovered $550,000 in cash and 13 bars of gold bullion in a safe deposit box and at the couple’s residence in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.