Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) called on Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) to resign from the U.S. Senate on Saturday after Menendez was indicted on federal corruption charges late this week.

“Senator Menendez should resign,” Fetterman wrote on X. “He’s entitled to the presumption of innocence, but he cannot continue to wield influence over national policy, especially given the serious and specific nature of the allegations.”

“I hope he chooses an honorable exit and focuses on his trial,” he added.

Senator Menendez should resign.

He’s entitled to the presumption of innocence, but he cannot continue to wield influence over national policy, especially given the serious and specific nature of the allegations.

I hope he chooses an honorable exit and focuses on his trial.

— Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) September 23, 2023

The indictment, unsealed on Friday, says that Menendez and his wife had a corrupt relationship with New Jersey businessmen Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, and Fred Daibes, who allegedly gave the senator bribes worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. According to the DOJ, the bribes were intended to protect the businessmen and to benefit Egypt.

Menendez faces up to 45 years in prison if convicted of the charges, which include conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, and conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right.

“Those bribes included cash, gold, payments toward a home mortgage, compensation for a low-or-no-show job, a luxury vehicle, and other things of value,” the indictment said. Federal authorities reportedly found gold bars and nearly $500,000 in cash stuffed throughout the senator’s home that they traced back to the businessmen Menendez allegedly worked with.

Menendez responded to the charges by suggesting that he was the victim of a vast conspiracy that was out to get him — even though investigators have tried to nail him for nearly two decades for corruption.

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“For years, forces behind the scenes have repeatedly attempted to silence my voice and dig my political grave,” said the 69-year-old senator. “Since this investigation was leaked nearly a year ago, there has been an active smear campaign of anonymous sources and innuendos to create an air of impropriety where none exists.”

“The excesses of these prosecutors is apparent. They have misrepresented the normal work of a Congressional office,” he claimed. “Those behind this campaign simply cannot accept that a first-generation Latino American from humble beginnings could rise to be a U.S. Senator and serve with honor and distinction. Even worse, they see me as an obstacle in the way of their broader political goals.”

Menendez released a second statement Friday evening, saying that he was not going anywhere as calls began to mount for him to resign.

“It is not lost on me how quickly some are rushing to judge a Latino and push him out of his seat,” he said. “I am not going anywhere.”

Social media platform X, formerly called Twitter, issued a brutal context update on a Washington Post piece about Barstool founder Dave Portnoy, who earlier in the week taped a call he had confronting one of the reporters writing what he deemed a “hit piece.”

During his taped conversation, Portnoy pressed reporter Emily Heil about why she was contacting participating pizzerias and sponsors of his “One Bite Pizza Festival” and seemingly asking them to defend their decision to participate in the event, while describing Portnoy as having a “history of misogynistic comments and other problematic behavior.” Notably, Heil told Portnoy on the call that she wanted the advertisers to think something negative was going to be printed, which she said is a press tactic used to get a response.

“A phone call between Emily Heil and Dave Portney was shared prior to publication, in which the WaPo journalist admits to intentionally misleading advertisers into speaking negatively of the One Bite Pizza Festival,” X said in a note labeled “Readers added context,” adding, “They agreed to an interview the next day but Wapo cancelled.”

This weekend, New York will host Dave Portnoy's One Bite Pizza Festival.

Participating pizzerias have had to navigate buzz around the festival and backlash against the Barstool Sports founder's controversial remarks and allegations of sexual misconduct. https://t.co/v2XqLxkJwg

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) September 22, 2023

“It’s surreal we live in a country where activist reporters can openly get caught lying and admitting they are creating a false narrative to generate engagement and controversy AND still publish the article,” Portnoy commented following the Post’s publication of the story.

In a video of the call, which has garnered 43 million views, Portnoy pressed Heil about her journalism tactics. “We have this Pizzafest happening on Saturday, and you’re reaching out to our advertisers,” he said. “You’re basically sending an email that says, to the effect, ‘Dave’s a misogynic racist. Do you want to defend yourselves advertising at this event?’ Right?”

“We are planning to write about the festival and how some of the sponsors and participants have drawn criticism by seeming to associate themselves with Dave Portnoy, who has a history of misogynistic comments and other problematic behavior,” Portnoy read Heil’s email.

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During the conversation, the reporter shockingly told Portnoy, “You know, sometimes you have to say something like this is like, you know, it’s sort of a reporting tactic. When you want someone to respond, you kind of have to indicate that there might be something negative and then you get them to engage. That’s all I was trying to do.”

It's surreal we live in a country where activist reporters can openly get caught lying and admitting they are creating a false narrative to generate engagement and controversy AND still publish the article https://t.co/kUtVMsFI9M pic.twitter.com/R9wk8B9d3V

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) September 22, 2023

Portnoy on Saturday commented on the Post receiving the context update from X. “That [Washington Post] got community noted for lying,” he wrote. “Ain’t no fun when the rabbit got the gun.”

The @washingtonpost got community noted for lying 😂😂😂. Ain't no fun when the rabbit got the gun https://t.co/kUtVMsFI9M

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) September 23, 2023

Notably, none of Portnoy’s sponsors pulled out of the event, despite the Post’s apparent efforts.

“None of the pizzerias or sponsors contacted by The Post indicated that they were pulling their support,” the piece said. “Some said they lent their name and reputation to the event in exchange for publicity or access to the young, social media-savvy audience that Portnoy attracts. And some support Portnoy, whom they see as a champion of small business. His pizza reviews, they say, can increase revenue up to 50 percent. They point out that his Barstool Fund has raised tens of millions of dollars to help restaurants and other small businesses during the pandemic.”

Portnoy’s supporters cracked jokes about the Post during the festival, and when the Barstool CEO ran into a New York Times reporter, he told the pizza shop owner that the reporter is “bad news.”

“New York Times reporter trying to play nice to my face,” he captioned video of the interaction. “I know they’re nothing but bad news.”

New York Times reporter trying to play nice to my face. I know they’re nothing but bad news pic.twitter.com/JcERlGvpFE

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) September 23, 2023