U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, a lifelong Democrat out of New Jersey, has reportedly filed paperwork to run for a fourth term in office as an independent as he currently on trial in a federal corruption case that, if convicted, could result in him spending the rest of his life in prison.

The New Jersey Globe reported that Menendez himself did not deliver the petitions himself as he is currently in a federal courthouse in Manhattan for his 12th day on trial.

Menendez running as an independent could potentially threaten the Democrat Party’s grip on the state as it could divide voter’s support for the Democrat nominee and catapult a Republican to victory.

However, the likelihood of this appears to be low, especially if Menendez is convicted of the various corruption-related charges that he faces.

By running as an independent, Menendez can “continue to raise and spend campaign contributions on lawyers hired to defend him and his wife,” Nadine Menendez, who is also charged in the alleged criminal conspiracy, The New York Times reported.

He said earlier this year that if he was exonerated in the case that he would “pursue my candidacy as an independent Democrat in the general election.”

“Americans are fed up with politicians putting their own personal benefit ahead of what’s right for the country,” said Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ), who is running to be the party’s nominee for the seat, said in a statement. “Everyone knows Bob Menendez isn’t running for the people of New Jersey, he’s doing it for himself. It’s beyond time for change and I’m stepping up to restore integrity back into the U.S. Senate.”

Menendez and his wife were indicted on federal charges in September for allegedly accepting bribes from three businessmen in exchange for actions that he took as chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee. According to the DOJ, the alleged bribes were intended to protect the businessmen and to benefit Egypt.

Prosecutors later said in a revised indictment that Menendez also allegedly used his clout to help a friend secure a multi-million dollar investment deal from the Qatari government, in part by taking actions that benefited Qatar.

In a subsequent superseding indictment, Menendez was also charged with conspiracy, obstruction of justice, public official acting as a foreign agent, bribery, extortion and honest services wire fraud.

The Maldives — an Islamic nation located a few hundred miles south of India in the Indian Ocean — banned Israeli passports this week to punish the country over its war against the Hamas terrorists that carried out the October 7 massacre.

President Mohamed Muizzu announced that he would follow his country’s recommendation and impose the ban.

“The Cabinet decision includes amending necessary laws to prevent Israeli passport holders from entering the Maldives and establishing a Cabinet subcommittee to oversee these efforts,” the statement said.

The country said that it was going to raise money for the The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), an organization directly linked to the October 7 terrorist attack.

Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman posted on X: “It is time for us all to boycott the Maldives.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry responded to the development by encouraging its citizens to leave the country immediately.

“For Israeli citizens already in the country, it is recommended to consider leaving, because if they find themselves in distress for any reason, it will be difficult for us to assist,” the ministry said.

The tourist hotspot has made Islam its official religion and requires its citizens to be Muslim. Those who hold government positions must be followers of Sunni Islam.

It is a criminal offense in the country to be anything other than Muslim and those who criticize the religion are subject to criminal penalties.

The Lowy Institute said in a report from 2022 that more Maldivians per capita went to Syria to fight for ISIS than any other country.

“From 2014 to 2018, more people departed the Maldives to join with Islamic State than from any other country,” the country said. “In total, this figure is estimated at 250 men and women from a country of only 500,000. Most who went died.”