 time to choose an interim replacement last week in new york federal jury found menendez guilty of peddling his office's power in exchange for gold bars cash and a convertible he was convicted of all 16 counts he faced including bribery fraud and illegal foreign agent offenses after the verdict the 70 year old menendez said he was innocent and planned to appeal he's also filed to run for re-election as an independent but there have been no public events